By Verónica Meza
Four more wetlands in San Quintín Bay are now protected. This was accomplished in the first half of the year as part of the objectives of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). This initiative of Terra Peninsular resulted in the protection of the wetlands Arco Central, Molino Viejo, San Simón and El Playón, in San Quintín, Baja California.
The four new Destination Agreements (Acuerdos de Destino) were published in the Official Journal of the Federation on June 29, July 1st and July 5, 2016; these agreements add up to the ones approved in previous years, and also in San Quintín Bay: Panteón Inglés Sur, Sudoeste, Panteón Inglés Norte and Punta Azufre.
The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) handed these natural areas at the service of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP).
The Destination Agreement is a conservation tool granted to CONANP for permanent protection; therefore, it’s a means to maintain the natural state of the Federal Maritime and Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT) which is defined as “a strip of 20 meters adjacent to the marine coast”.
Through the identification and delimitation of the most important areas for protection and maintenance of natural resources and ecological processes, the Destination Agreement is also a protection against uses that have an impact on the environment, such as tourism development, mining, resource extraction, among others.
Terra Peninsular is working with CONANP for the surveillance, monitoring and protection of all the Destination Agreements in San Quintín Bay, and continues to work to increase the protected surface.
Between 2010 and 2015 the protection of 58.62 acres of wetlands in San Quintín Bay were protected through Destination Agreements. Added to the 160.59 acres that were recently published give a total of 230.34 acres of natural protected areas in San Quintín Bay.
| Wetland | Date declared | Surface area in square meters |
| Humedal Sudoeste | 10/03/2012 | 48,996.70 |
| Humedal Panteón Inglés Sur | 12/08/2014 | 75,323.32 |
| Humedal Panteón Inglés Norte | 12/23/2015 | 61,751.71 |
| Punta Azufre | 12/23/2015 | 51,168.46 |
| Humedal Arco Central | 06/29/2016 | 8,421.68 |
| Humedal San Simón | 07/01/2016 | 174,580.93 |
| El Playón, Playa San Ramón | 07/05/2016 | 252,571 |
| Humedal Molino Viejo | 07/05/2016 | 259,333.98 |