Our Impact

By 2030 we expect

Transform
0 %
Since 2023, we have worked with the main fishing cooperative to promote sustainable livelihood alternatives.

Since 2023 we have been collaborating with the leading fishing cooperative to promote sustainable economic alternatives.
By 2030, we aim to expand this transition to 100% of permit holders in the region.

Protect
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marine hectares

Currently, two responsible shark interaction activities operate in the region (bull shark and silky shark). By 2030, we aim to establish five conservation tourism initiatives that generate sustainable economic opportunities.

Develop
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Sustainable tourism activities

Currently, two responsible shark interaction activities are operating (bull and silky shark).
By 2030 we aim to consolidate five conservation tourism activities that generate sustainable economic alternatives.

Strengthen
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Cross-sector partnerships

We work with government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to advance marine conservation. By 2030, we aim to strengthen a network of 150 national and international partnerships.

Engage
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Participants

Fishers, students, tourism operators, public officials, and community members participate in our marine conservation and training programs.

Reach
0 Mill.
People

Through environmental education programs, scientific outreach, and awareness campaigns that highlight the importance of sharks for ocean health.

Results of our 2026 initiatives

Sharks
0 +
Saved

Since the beginning of our activities.

Alliances
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Intersectoral
With government, authorities, educational institutions, civil society and businesses.
Reach
0 Mill.
At national and international level
Digital media, Shark Month and SOSF events.
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Fishing families
supported with training and equipment for diving, citizen science, and sustainable tourism activities
Vessel
Kab Xok
Acquired and equipped through donations. Used for sustainable tourism, monitoring, and research. Providing essential data for breeding areas and the creation of our shark sanctuary in 2026.
Shark Safari
From fishing to conservation
Each expedition supported the fishing communities of Isla Mujeres in their transition from fishing to shark conservation.

Saving Our Sharks A.C. is a non-profit organization with over 10 years of experience, supported by partners across the governmental, social, and private sectors in Quintana Roo and Mexico. These partners actively contribute to advancing the organization’s mission, which focuses primarily on shark research and conservation in the Mexican Caribbean.

Isla Mujeres Shark Initiative

SNORKEL EXPEDITIONS

Discover the behavior and ecology of sharks and other marine species in their natural habitat. An expedition led by former fishermen who have become passionate shark conservationists.
BROCHURE
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Some of the organization’s key results include:

We are proud to present Shark Safari, a conservation project developed as part of the Isla Mujeres initiative. Through this program, we have worked with fishing cooperatives to transition away from shark fishing and become true guardians of the ocean. Thanks to the voluntary abandonment of shark fishing, these “Masters of the Sea” now actively participate in ecotourism, citizen science monitoring, and marine research activities. This innovative model not only promotes sustainable tourism, but also contributes to the recovery of key shark species in the Mexican Caribbean and strengthens the region’s ecological resilience.

Saving Our Sharks activities and impact

For over a decade, a comprehensive program for shark conservation, monitoring, and research has been implemented in the northern Mexican Caribbean. This program is based on telemetry, satellite tagging, genetic and isotopic analysis, and citizen science.
Through partnerships with research centers, universities, government authorities, tour operators, and local communities, a continuous monitoring network has been established along the entire coastline—from the northern region of the state to Belize. This network enables researchers to better understand the movements, breeding grounds, diet, and population connectivity of various shark species.
Since 2014, our ongoing environmental education program has reached over 2.7 million people through educational activities, outreach initiatives, and academic collaborations, promoting shark conservation, the non-extractive use of resources, and sustainable livelihoods at both national and global levels.
Each year, support is provided to tourism service providers offering bull shark interaction experiences in Playa del Carmen.

Prior to the season, training sessions are delivered to each sector (captains, guides, and promoters), and information points are made available to educate visitors on the regulations governing the activity.

1. In collaboration with authorities and academic institutions, and through participatory workshops within the Playa del Carmen diving community, the first Manual of Good Practices for Diving with Bull Sharks was developed. This manual includes safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and operational standards for organizing the activity.

2. Currently, the program collaborates with 50 tour operators in Playa del Carmen who are actively engaged in the community-based management of bull shark interactions.

3. In Solidaridad, a scheduling system was implemented for the two types of bull shark diving activities, and it is fully respected by the local community.

4. A community fund was established through voluntary donations (bracelets) from visiting divers, supporting shark conservation and research efforts in the Mexican Caribbean.

5. Through the active participation of the diving community, a continuous monitoring network has been established to safeguard sharks during their seasonal presence in Quintana Roo.

6. Specialized training courses have been developed to certify divers conducting bull shark diving activities, endorsed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
For attraction-based diving, this certification is formally recognized by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, authorizing qualified divers to carry out this specific modality.
  • Agreement with Chedraui to eliminate the sale of shark and dogfish (Squalidae) across all its stores nationwide.
  • With the support of Alejandro Zozaya, CEO of AMResorts Group, shark products were removed from the menus of 84 hotels across Mexico and the Caribbean.
  • In coordination with fishing cooperatives in Isla Mujeres, five no-fishing zones were established, covering a total of 9,000 hectares within the Mexican Caribbean Biosphere Reserve.
  • Development of Shark Safari and “Snorkel with a Cause” operated by the Kab Xok Cooperative, as sustainable tourism initiatives and non-extractive alternatives.
We work in close coordination with federal, state, and municipal agencies—including INAPESCA, CONANP, and SECTUR—as well as through national and international forums to strengthen shark conservation in the Mexican Caribbean.
For two years, we collaborated with civil society organizations and government authorities on the revision of NOM-029-PESCA-2006, contributing to stronger protections for sharks in Quintana Roo.
We also participated in the delimitation of the Mexican Caribbean Biosphere Reserve, supporting the inclusion of Playa del Carmen based on the presence of sharks and the results of ongoing monitoring and management programs.
Additionally, we developed a wildlife interaction management model and submitted it to the relevant authorities for incorporation into the Management Plan of the Mexican Caribbean Biosphere Reserve.
We also designed a management model for swimming with American crocodiles in the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, helping to make this activity viable and sustainable.
Since 2019, we have been a member of the Advisory Council of Revillagigedo National Park.