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Gulf of California
Protecting the world’s aquarium
Cajon del Diablo, Gulf of California, Mexico
© WWF-Canon / Gustavo YBARRA
The Gulf of California or Sea of Cortez is surrounded by the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit. It is an important reproduction, feeding and breeding area for at least 6,000 species or subspecies of marine macrofauna which comprise 891 fish, 181 birds, 34 marine mammals, and seven marine reptiles.
The Gulf is Mexico’s most important fisheries region captures exceeding 60 percent of the country’s annual marine fisheries products. This sea sustains commercial fisheries of species like shrimp, sardine and giant squid. It is also important for sport fishing of billfishes and tuna, and coastal fisheries of many species such as snappers, rays and sharks. Aquaculture production is also very important in the Gulf. About 90 percent of the total harvested shrimp comes from farms located along the coastlines of Sonora and Sinaloa. There are around 40,000 artisanal (low-scale) coastal fishermen and 8,000 commercial fishermen in the Gulf. Tourism is also a prominent industry in northwestern Mexico with over 1.7 million tourists visiting the Gulf every year to enjoy its beaches, scuba dive and sport fishing.
The region has 8.6 million inhabitants, mainly concentrated in cities along the border. It has ethnic minorities such as Papagos, Pimas, Seri, Yaquis, Mayos, Cucapas, Kikapus and Coras. All Gulf islands are protected by federal law as “Areas for the Protection of Flora and Fauna.” Thus, human activities and exploitation is regulated. There are 14 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and seven sites are included in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
WWF's vision: A healthy, productive and resilient Gulf of California that reliably produces the ecosystem goods and services needed to support human welfare, healthy economies and biological diversity.
The place. The Gulf of California stretches over 900 miles and supports an extraordinary diversity of marine life. The waters in the northern portion of the gulf are very shallow, but the southern gulf can reach depths of 10,000 feet. This depth variation helps create one of the Western Hemisphere’s most biologically rich seas.
The species. The gulf is home to one-third of the world’s marine mammal species, more than 170 seabird species, and over 900 different fish species, including the Mexican rockfish, Cortez angelfish and endangered totoaba. Endangered marine turtles, whales and dolphins also live in the region, along with one of the most imperiled cetaceans in the world, the vaquita porpoise.
The people. More than eight million people call the Gulf of California home, including the indigenous Pápagos, Seris, Pimas, Yaquis, Mayos, Cucapás, Kikapús and Coras, who rely on the gulf for their livelihoods. The region is also a global destination for sport fishermen, divers and tourists, with more than two million people visiting the region each year for recreation.
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