Parley Mexico currently operates in multiple locations across the Yucatán Peninsula – working in collaboration with more than 30 local groups, government institutions, universities, social organizations and the private sector. As a hotspot for biodiversity, the interception of marine plastic pollution is crucial to the survival of endangered species in this beautiful region.
“Intercepting plastic pollution in the most important beaches for sea turtle nesting helps to reduce the threat of rising temperatures in the nests – supporting the protection of endangered species such as the hawksbill sea turtle and green sea turtle.”
Alejandro Rodríguez – Parley Mexico
PROTECTING WILDLIFE in THE YUCATÁN
Ever year on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, four of the planet’s seven species of sea turtle come to nest amid the area’s beaches and dunes. Hawksbills, green sea turtles, loggerheads and leatherback sea turtles all prefer areas where there is no artificial light and noise, and places where the dunes and their vegetation are well preserved. Unfortunately, these more remote areas are often the most polluted by marine plastic waste.
To help increase their chances for survival – and safeguard seabirds and other species – Parley has been working in collaboration with local organizations and volunteers to organize cleanup initiatives in Mexico, with a focus on the Yucatán Peninsula and the fragile ecosystems of the Area de Protección de Flora y Fauna (APFF) Yum Balam, APFF Isla Cozumel, Parque Nacional Isla Contoy and Parque Nacional Tulum.
WORKING IN Mangroves & Cenotes
Crisscrossing Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, a vast system of limestone caves forms a unique underwater world linking the region’s forests, mangroves and towns to offshore coral reefs and the Caribbean Sea beyond. In collaboration with the Benito Juarez Municipality, CONANP (the National Commission for Natural Protected Areas of Mexico) andand other local organizations, Parley Mexico works to intercept plastic and other solid waste from cenotes and mangroves. These important ecosystems provide habitat in the coastal city of Cancun to wildlife like resident and migratory birds and crocodiles; and are directly interconnected to the underground water system and the unique Mesoamerican Reef System.
Education
As part of our global Parley AIR Strategy (Avoid, Intercept, Redesign), Parley is leading education initiatives with Mexican youth. In collaboration with several Universities, Parley Mexico is implementing an awareness program working with students by analyzing plastic use at home and activating youth and their families to avoid it. These collaborations have also allowed us to do plastic monitoring in sandy beaches, analyze the data and develop reports.
FISHING NET INTERCEPTION & UPCYCLING INITIATIVE
Ghost gear (fishing nets and other equipment that has been abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded) is the deadliest type of debris for marine animals and has the potential for the greatest negative economic impacts on coastal communities. At least 800,000 tons of it ends up in the oceans annually – although the actual amount is likely far higher.
Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Parley’s Mexico AIR Marine Debris Mitigation Initiative collects derelict fishing gear from 16 fishing communities in the States of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Campeche and Yucatán in the Gulf of Mexico and Quintana Roo in the Mexican Caribbean. Working again with CONANP, the vast project stretches across 17 Marine Protected Areas along 4,470 km of coastline, and aims to provide a local end-to-end solution for monofilament nylon nets by upcycling them locally. Cleanups and local education projects are key, with a focus on coastal communities, university students and fishers.
PARLEY AIR Tourism Initiative – Quintana Roo
This new outreach project focuses on the tourism sector in the Mexican Caribbean islands of Quintana Roo state. The objective is to increase the degree of awareness about plastic pollution and reduce the consumption of plastics in travel businesses that operate in designated new ‘plastic exclusion zones’. Local residents, visitors, trade networks and environmental authorities are consulted and involved in program activities, and so far 20 local businesses have been certified. Parley Mexico runs education workshops for managers, focusing on plastic’s impact on businesses and the environment, the importance of waste auditing and proper management, and how to implement plastic avoidance strategies. In addition, ten multilingual public information boards have been installed to increase awareness about the Holbox and Cozumel Plastic Exclusion Zone designations and the benefits of reducing plastic usage and disposal in these fragile ecosystems.
Learn more and join the program
(Page in Spanish)
SUPPORT OUR WORK IN MExico
Your support helps us tackle plastic pollution and other threats facing the oceans. All donations go directly to our global teams, helping to fund cleanups, education and infrastructure projects.
PARLEY Mexico 🇲🇽
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The Parley Global Cleanup Network works to protect marine environments from plastic pollution and other threats. Through collaborative cleanups with local businesses and organizations, our teams intercept plastic waste from beaches, remote islands, rivers, mangroves and coastal communities. With cleanups in 30 countries so far and counting, the Network also works on local education, awareness campaigns and government engagement to drive change.
Each country team shares our vision for healthier oceans globally, and works locally to champion the Parley AIR Strategy in their nation. As of 2022, Parley has engaged over 720,000 volunteers globally, conducted more than 21,000 cleanup and education events and intercepted 1.1 million kg of plastic.
Thank you to all our Collaborators in Mexico!
Acción Isla
Administración Portuaria Integral de Quintana Roo (APIQROO)
Aguakan
Alcaldía de Chiquilá y Brigada Comunitaria
Amigos de Sian Ka'an A.C.
Area de Protección de Flora y Fauna Isla Cozumel (APFFIC)
Area de Protección de Flora y Fauna Manglares de Nichupté (APFFMN)
Area de Protección de Flora y Fauna Yum Balam (APFFYB)
Asociación de Hoteles de Holbox
Barracuda Board Co.
Brigada Ixpalbarco
Brigada de Monitoreo Manglares de Nichupté
CETMAR 10 Chetumal
CETMAR 11 Ensenada
Capitania De Puerto Isla Mujeres
Casa Wayuú A.C.
Centinelas del Agua A.C.
Centro Mexicano De Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA)
Centro de Acopio de Materiales Reciclables de Cozumel (CAMAR)
Club De Playa Albatros
Colegio Alamos
Colegio Irlandés St. Patrick
Colegio de Bachilleres Plantel Ciudad Mujeres
Colegio de Bachilleres Plantel Isla Mujeres
Colegio de Ingenieros
Comisión Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP) - Dirección Regional
Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA)
Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO-Naturalista)
Comité Ambiental Laguna Manatí
Comité Av. La Luna Cancún
Comité de Vigilancia Comunitaria Mar De Las Antillas
Comité de Vigilancia Comunitario Sian Ka'an
Comité de Vigilancia y Educación Ambiental Río Chacmochuch
Comunidad de Las Coloradas
Cooperativa Turística Punta Allen
Cooperativa Turística Adolfo López
Cooperativa Turística Nativos
Cozuclean
Croco Cun Interactive Zoo
DH Bus Project - Fundación Cinepolis
Delegación de Punta Allen
Diego’s Tour Embarcación: Jesusito
Dirección De Ecología del H. Ayuntamiento de Benito Juárez
Dirección De Ecología del H. Ayuntamiento de Tulum
Dirección de Desarrollo Urbano, Medio Ambiente y Ecología del H. Ayuntamiento de Othón P. Blanco Integradora Mexicana Ambiental Tierra Antigua (IMATA)
Dirección de Medio Ambiente y Ecología, H. Ayuntamiento de Isla Mujeres
Dolphin Discovery
Ecoguardas
El Pueblito Hotel
Elementum
Embarcación Bómbola
Escuela Secundaria Cecilio Chi
Escuela Secundaria Técnica Número 9, “Francisco Hernández de Córdoba”,
Estoy Más Cerca Que Nunca A.C.
Everything Isla
Explora Caribe
Fisherman Lodge Hotel
Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo (FONATUR)
Fotógrafos Nikon
Fundación De Parques Y Museos De Cozumel
Grupo Especializado de Trabajo en Educación, Consejo Cuenca, (CONAGUA)
Grupo Hazlo Hoy
Grupo Oh My Dog
Grupo Raíces De La Laguna
Grupo Scout Alux 17
Grupo Tortuguero del Caribe
H. Ayuntamiento de Cozumel
Holbox Extreme
Hotel Amaité
Hotel Casa Maya
Hotel Dreams Tulum
Hotel El Pueblito
Hotel Izin
Hotel Kristal Cancun
Hotel Las Nubes Holbox
Hotel Secrets
Industria Salinera de Yucatán
Isla Verde
Izla
JAM Cruice 17, Norwegian Jade
Jardín De Niños Kaambal
Jornadas De Conciencia
La Esquina
La Gas
Lingard Yoga
Manolos Tour
Manta Trust, Mexican Caribbean
Mar Sustentable
Maya Hotel Residence
Mundo Ecológico Holbox
Oasis Skate Shop Isla Mujeres
Operadoras Turísticas De Las Coloradas
PIMSA
Parque Garrafón
Parque Nacional Arrecifes Xcalak (PNAX)
Parque Nacional Costa Occidental Isla Mujeres Punta Cancún Y Punta Nizuc (PNCOIMPCPN)
Parque Nacional Isla Contoy (PNIC)
Parque Nacional Tulum (PNT)
Planetario de Cancún
Planetario de Playa Del Carmen
Plant For The Planet
Plaza Las Américas Playa del Carmen
Pocna Dive Centre
Prestadores de Servicios Turísticos de Akumal
Procuraduría de Protección al Ambiente de Quintana Roo (PPA)
Promotora Ambiental Cozumel (PASA)
Pronatura Península de Yucatán (PPY)
Protección Civil Cancún
Punta Allen Limpio
Reciclatón Tulum
Remy Cointreau
Rentadora Joaquín
Reserva De La Biosfera Banco Chinchorro (RBBCH)
Reserva De La Biosfera Sian Ka'an (RBSK)
Reserva de La Biosfera Río Lagartos (RBRL)
Reserva de la Biosfera Caribe Mexicano (RBCM)
Scuba Musa
Secretaría De Medio Ambiente Y Ecología (SEMA) - Educación
Secretaría De Medio Ambiente Y Ecología (SEMA) - Educación
Secretaría De Medio Ambiente Y Ecología (SEMA) - Residuos Sólidos
Secretaría de Marina (SEMAR)
Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Ecología (SEMA)
Secretaría de la Defensa (SEDENA)
Secundaria Cielo Nuevo
Servicios Públicos Municipales De Tulum
Servicios Públicos Municipales H. Ayuntamiento de Isla Mujeres
Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera "Justicia Social"
Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Andres Quintana Roo
Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Cabo Catoche
Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Langosteros del Caribe
Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Mar De Las Antillas
Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Pescadores de Banco Chinchorro
Solucion Integral de Residuos Solidos (SIRESOL)
Subdelegación De Puerto Juárez
Ta'Akin
The Lighthouse Project
The Ritz Carlton- Community Footprint
Tortugranja Isla Mujeres
Tortugueros De La Dirección De Ecología Tulum
Tránsito Municipal H. Ayuntamiento de Benito Juárez
Turística Moguel
Universidad Autónoma del Carmen (UNACAR)
Universidad Juárez Autónoma De Tabasco (UJAT)
Universidad Politécnica De Quintana Roo (UPQROO)
Universidad Tecnológica de Cancún (UT Cancun)
Universidad Veracruzana (UV)
Universidad de Quintana Roo (UQROO)
Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE)
University of Georgia
University of Texas, Marine Science Institute
VIP Holbox
Voluntariado Cinépolis
Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre (ZOFEMAT) Benito Juárez
Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre (ZOFEMAT) Isla Mujeres Dirección De Ecología del H. Ayuntamiento de Isla del Carmen
Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre (ZOFEMAT) Tulum