An ocean under pressure
The publication of the Sustainable Ocean Plan occurs amid alerts about the state of Mexican fisheries. According to the Oceana organization, at least half of the country’s fisheries face threats that put the food sovereignty and livelihood of more than two million people at risk.
“Fishermen are the first guardians of the oceans, but they are also the first to suffer the consequences of seas that are more damaged and less abundant every day,” warned Renata Terrazas, executive director of Oceana.
The organization pointed out illegal fishing, the destruction of marine habitats, pollution and the impacts of the climate crisis as the main risks.
According to the Oceana Fishing Traffic Light, 23% of fisheries are in deterioration and 27% are in the precautionary category due to lack of sufficient information. For Terrazas, the challenge will be for the State to translate the commitments into public policies that “put people and marine ecosystems at the center.”
In this context, the Plan has been well received by international organizations.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) celebrated its publication and reiterated its commitment to accompany the Mexican government in the implementation of the instrument, which replaces the 2018 policy and officially becomes Mexico’s Sustainable Ocean Plan.
Among the advances highlighted by UNDP are support for the entry into force of the Treaty on Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) – scheduled for January 2026 -, projects to reduce marine pollution and regional ocean governance schemes in the Pacific.
While environmental organizations such as WWF also recognized the step taken by the Mexican government.
“This instrument represents a great step for the care, management and protection of the country’s seas and coastal areas,” said the organization, which highlighted the importance of having a comprehensive policy to confront the ocean crisis.
With the start of 2026, the challenge for Mexico will be to convert this roadmap into tangible results.
The agreement itself establishes that implementation will depend, to a large extent, on the budgets assigned to the agencies that make up CIMARES and the capacity for inter-institutional coordination.
Even so, the message is clear: Mexico seeks to consolidate itself as a regional and international actor in the ocean agenda, with a plan that recognizes the ocean as a pillar of environmental protection, economic development and the well-being of coastal communities.
