Mexican national park explodes with new life

A decade-long study of the Cabo Pulmo National Park in Mexico has shown the number of fish in the water has increased more than 460 percent. The increase is especially dramatic because the regional waters have been seriously depleted by overfishing and only in the last fifteen years have the locals worked to protect them.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The park, located to the north of the resort town of Cabo San Lucas, on the Sea of Cortez, is the site of a coral reef where waters are frequently above seventy degrees. A wide variety of marine species lives there, and thrives, after being hunted and poisoned nearly to extinction.

The notable species include endangered sea turtles, Mobula rays, octopus, lobster, tiger sharks, bull sharks, and black-tip reef sharks, and a variety of groupers.
 
The renaissance of the reef is especially notable because much of the work to protect it came from the local populace rather than Mexican authorities. Fifteen years ago, when it was realized that the reef was dying, and that it had great potential economic value to the locals, they banded together and agreed to protect it.

The fishing and dumping stopped and the reef was managed in such a way as to allow it to recover from decades of human impact. The people policed themselves and others and prevented all fishing. The sacrifice has paid off. Now, just years later, the reef is in full recovery and the locals are cashing in.

Tourism has increased dramatically, particularly amongst snorkelers and divers. The money is coming in from afar and is coming into new industries, such as hotels and restaurants that don't damage the ecosystem and are very profitable.
 
The study and the recent economic success of the people in the area prove that taking care of an ecosystem can easily be more profitable than exploiting it to extinction.

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