Michoacán to create artificial reef using donated Navy dredgers

The Michoacán Secretariat of the Environment (Secma) announced the creation of the Michoacán Artificial Reef System off the coast of Lázaro Cárdenas. The project involves sinking two decommissioned dredgers, the ‘Magdalena’ and ‘El Farallón’, which were donated by the Mexican Navy (Semar).

According to Alejandro Méndez López, head of Secma, the initiative aims to enrich the maritime ecosystem, strengthen local fishing production, and boost tourism and the coastal economy. Authorities are currently working on the Environmental Impact Statement and seeking necessary dumping authorizations to ensure the project complies with all regulatory standards.

This environmental effort represents a collaboration between the Michoacán state government and the federal administration to repurpose obsolete infrastructure into biodiversity refuges and support economic reactivation in the Lázaro Cárdenas port region.