Bacalar, Q.R. – In efforts to preserve the lagoon municipal authorities have declared the intermittent closure of the Laguna de Siete Colores to all vessels. Director of Bomberos and Protección Civil of the municipality of Bacalar, Pablo Antonio González detailed the lagoon’s voluntary closure to all maritime activities including “giving a break to the lagoon since it is the future of the community.”
He confirmed that beginning February 26, each Wednesday, all maritime activities including all types of vessels will be banned from entering the lagoon. The move is optional and not being called upon by the law with the decision being made and approved by the Ayuntamiento de Bacalar and the Asociación de Náuticos who have recognized an increase in current nautical activity through recent years.
The Mayor of Bacalar, Alexandra Zetina Aguiluz along with representatives of local boat organizations announced through a press conference the new plan, encouraging owners of sea vessels to join the action in favor of preserving the lagoon. Zetina Aguiluz says the intermittent closure of the lagoon will accompany the annual Day Without Navigation taking place on March 22 during what’s known as World Water Day.
While Aguiluz made clear that they do not have the power to penalize those who choose to not participate, he believes the locals will desire to uphold the plan further helping to protect and preserve the lagoon’s ecosystem. Additionally, he noted the lagoons closure does not apply during official holiday seasons, yet compliance throughout the rest of the year will be monitored by the Secretary of the Navy and is called upon by the Port Captaincy.
“It is not by law, it is for the love of the lagoon, it’s for our future,” he explained.
Recent studies on the lagoon show one of the leading factors in its pollution is due to the 244 officially registered boats used by tourists each year.
A preemptive strike against reef destruction was implemented in Cozumel late last year in an attempt to help restore the reefs being damaged by hundreds of thousands of tourists using boats, scuba diving, and snorkeling when government officials temporarily blocked off sections of the Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel to tourism.