Revillagigedo Archipelago

The Revillagigedo Archipelago sits off Mexico’s Pacific coast, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) west of  the city of Manzanillo and 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Cabo San Lucas. With its rich ecological and geological landscape, the volcanic island chain was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016.¹

The four uninhabited islands—Socorro, Clarión, San Benedicto, and Roca Partida—are the peaks of  volcanoes created more than 3.5 million years ago. They are part of a larger formation of seamounts, or underwater mountains, that help create the upwelling of nutrients from the deep sea that supports a  vast array of marine life.

To protect this remarkable ecosystem, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto designated the Revillagigedo Archipelago National Park on Nov. 24, 2017. At 148,087 square kilometers (57,177 square miles), the park  is Mexico’s largest fully protected marine reserve, free from fishing and other extractive activities.

Protecting biodiversity and critical habitat for  migratory species 

Revillagigedo is home to a diverse ecosystem that supports abundant marine life. These waters serve as a critical waypoint for many large migratory species, helping to connect regions of the Pacific Ocean. Among  its significant characteristics: 

• At least 366 species of fish, including 26 found nowhere else on the planet, call this area home.¹ 
• 37 species of shark and ray, including large aggregations of whale sharks, live in the archipelago’s waters, including one of the world’s largest populations of oceanic manta rays.
• Four species of threatened sea turtles—leatherback, green, olive ridley, and hawksbill—have been found in marine habitats around Revillagigedo.²

The remote marine park provides a place where whales, dolphins, sharks, and tuna can feed, breed, and rest during their migrations. The protected area offers a refuge for species traveling long distances throughout the tropical eastern Pacific.

Conclusion

Mexico has taken a major step by creating its largest fully protected marine reserve. This action will help the country contribute to global efforts to protect 30 percent of the world’s ocean, the target set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2016. Currently, just over 2 percent is is highly protected.

Establishment of Revillagigedo as a marine reserve safeguards biodiversity, supports fisheries productivity, boosts ecotourism, and sustains the myriad life-supporting benefits that healthy oceans provide for species in the water and on land.

Endnotes

• Luis F. Del Moral-Flores, Jatziry M. Gracián-Negrete, and Ana F. Guzmán-Camacho, “Fishes of the Archipelago of the Revillagigedo Islands: A Systematic and Biogeographic Update,” BIOCYT: Biología, Ciencia y Tecnología 9, no. 34 (2016): 596–619, http://www.revistas.unam.mx/index.php/biocyt/issue/viewFile/4448/154.
• Geoffrey L. Holroyd and Helen E. Trefry, “The Importance of Isla Clario´n, Archipelago Revillagigedo, Mexico, for Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Nesting,” CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 9, no. 2 (2010): 305-309, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Geoffrey_Holroyd/publication/232665701_The_Importance_of_Isla_Clarion_Archipelago_Revillagigedo_Mexico_for_Green_Turtle_Chelonia_mydas_Nesting/links/544176d30cf2a6a049a5884a.pdf.