Cozumel reef faces damage from abandoned fishing gear and trash

Volunteers conducting an underwater cleanup at Cozumel’s coastal reef removed fishing lines, hooks, weights, glass bottles, plastic waste and other debris that had become entangled in the coral colonies. Activist Lupita Martín Cab warned that the abandoned gear breaks coral structures and that the reef, one of the few remaining near the island’s cargo dock, is under increasing pressure from recreational fishing and litter.

In nearby Tulum, illegal dumping sites continue to accumulate solid waste, debris and discarded appliances on vacant lots and unpaved roads. Residents say irregular municipal collection schedules push people to discard trash openly, creating foul odors, mosquito breeding grounds and a heightened risk of dengue. Environmental groups have highlighted that leachate from these dumps threatens the region’s karst aquifers, caves and underground rivers, and have called for stricter enforcement, increased fines and improved waste‑collection services.