El Manglito

Community restoration

El Manglito is a community in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, which, through collective decisions, was able to develop economic activities based on the restoration of its social and environmental surroundings.

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An encouraging case

"To restore the Cove, we must begin by restoring ourselves."

José Antonio Méndez

VISION. In 2011 the fishermen of El Manglito, in collaboration with NOS Noroeste Sustentable AC (NOS) imagined the future they wanted to create in the Ensenada: abundant fishery resources to sustain fishing and reactivate their economy, respect for the law, better organization and collaboration with the authorities to generate effective management strategies.

COLLECTIVE ACTION. They reached a collective agreement to restore the Ensenada de La Paz, starting with the callo de hacha and the Catarina clam, for which resources were evaluated, the beaches and seabed were cleaned, and participatory surveillance operations were implemented.

SOCIAL AND RESOURCE RESTORATION. The population of callo de hacha began to recover, which motivated the community to organize: 109 community members, 15 cooperatives and 10 free fishermen, joined together to form the SPR Organización de Pescadores Rescatando la Ensenada (OPRE), and obtained as of July 2017 a fishing concession for 11 bivalve resources, in 2048 hectares of the Ensenada de La Paz.

They also carried out various activities that fostered community development and the strengthening of the social fabric, such as aquaculture, tourism, education, social entrepreneurship, and sharing learning with other communities.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY. Fishing for scallops was reinitiated through sustainable practices (extraction respecting size and with catch quotas per school).

PRODUCTIVE DIVERSIFICATION. Because fishing was insufficient to meet the needs of the community, various productive options were explored. They ventured into oyster aquaculture, nature tourism and mussel fishing.

PROFITABILITY AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY. Empowerment and profitable social entrepreneurship. The development of activities is carried out under profitability criteria, that is, optimizing the productive processes to generate a positive balance between production costs and income generated, achieving stability and economic sustainability.

Stories about El Manglito

Ensenada de La Paz, a vital refuge for migratory birds

October 12, 2024

An estimated 37% of the bird species in the region are migratory, highlighting the importance of maintaining habitats in good condition.

Guardianas del Conchalito, women who protect and educate in the mangrove forest

October 10, 2024

A group of 12 women in La Paz promotes educational and community ecotourism to preserve one of the lungs of the capital of Baja California Sur.

Explore the Ensenada de La Paz; Manglitours offers a unique experience of sustainable tourism.

September 26, 2024

In a four-hour trip you can learn about the rich biodiversity of this corner of La Paz, while you hear from local guides about the efforts they have made to recover marine species.

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