Last week, we had the privilege of being part of a truly special project aimed at promoting the Dos Mares Biosphere Reserve.
As a company, our mission is to advance ocean conservation and make it accessible to every recreational diver. And as we’ve said more than once, we’ve fallen in love with Baja California Sur, so we were deeply grateful for the opportunity to help protect these pristine waters.
The Ocean Symphony project was born from the vision of Gabriela Gómez from Fomares and was divided into two parts. The first was a documentary exploring the connection between Garth Stevenson’s music, a double bassist and composer with the most beautiful soul, and the whales of Baja California. This film was captured by one of the world’s most talented conservation filmmakers and storytellers, Andy Mann, who is also a musician himself.
Photo by Andy Mann
The second part was the live ocean concert, where whales responded to Garth’s music as we listened to them through special hydrophones. It was a profound experience that touched the souls of everyone present. In that moment, I realized how essential it is to reach people on an emotional level, and to engage the right people, to drive real change for ocean conservation
Photo by Andy Mann
This project brought together an extraordinary group of individuals to create something magical, with the hope that its ripple effect will influence policies and help establish the Dos Mares Biosphere Reserve.
As Andy Mann said on the boat, his work is usually about giving a voice to the voiceless, but this time, the ocean already has a voice. We just need to listen. Let’s not wait for Baja’s waters to reach a critical state before taking action. They are still pristine, and together, we can keep them that way.
Video by Alonso I Rodríguez de la Parra of Mares De Mexico.
What is the Dos Mares Biosphere Reserve?
In Mexico, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) vary in their levels of protection. National Parks have the strictest regulations, banning all extractive. e activities, while Biosphere Reserves (BRs) allow carefully managed resource use by local communities, promoting both conservation and sustainability.
The Dos Mares Biosphere Reserve is a proposed large-scale MPA that would encompass both the Sea of Cortez and the Southern Pacific Ocean, surrounding Baja California Sur. Unlike other regions, Baja California Sur lacks a local fishing industry, with industrial fleets from states like Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, and Baja California heavily exploiting its waters. This has left artisanal fishers at a disadvantage, struggling against decades of unequal competition. The reserve aims to protect local marine life and support small-scale fishers by restricting access to industrial fleets.
Spanning 192,000 km², the reserve would include an 88,000 km² no-take zone, fully protected from fishing and extractive activities. A 104,000 km² buffer zone along the coast would allow regulated artisanal fishing, diving, sport fishing, and wildlife observation, ensuring both conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.
Who is behind the initiative?
Dos Mares is an initiative led by Depesca AC, an organization representing artisanal fishers, sport fishers, aquaculturists, and nautical tourism providers in Baja California Sur. For the past five years, they have been working to establish the reserve with the support of Beta Diversidad, Orgcas, Fomares, and a coalition of leading national and international marine conservation organizations. These include The Pew Charitable Trusts, Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, The Wyss Foundation, Blue Marine Foundation, Mares de México, and México Azul, all dedicated to protecting and preserving the ocean.
You can click here to learn more and donate to the cause.
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