To the leaders, institutions, companies, communities, and citizens with the power to protect our oceans:

This is a global call for the conservation of the Gulf of California, one of the most extraordinary marine ecosystems on Earth.

When the Amazon is under threat, the world understands what is at stake. We understand that some ecosystems are too important, too interconnected, and too essential to be sacrificed.

The Amazon is often called the lungs of the planet. The Gulf of California is one of the beating hearts of the ocean. And we must defend it with the same urgency, tenacity, and collective responsibility.

Known by Jacques Cousteau as “The Aquarium of the World,” the Gulf of California is home to roughly 900 species of fish, 5,000 species of marine invertebrates, 39% of the world’s marine mammal species, and one-third of all cetacean species worldwide. It is a vital migration, feeding, breeding, and calving corridor for whales, including blue whales, humpback whales, gray whales, and fin whales.

It is also a place of culture, livelihood, and memory.

Its waters sustain coastal communities, fisheries, tourism, and local economies across Mexico and beyond. Its islands and protected areas have been recognized by UNESCO for their exceptional value. 

Its reefs, mangroves, marine mammals, and coastal habitats are part of a living system that connects the Pacific Ocean and supports life far beyond its own shores.

And now, this balance is at risk.

Today, the Gulf of California faces the threat of multiple proposed LNG projects that would expand fossil fuel infrastructure, industrial development, shipping traffic, and underwater noise across one of the planet’s most sensitive marine sanctuaries.

We are calling for urgent action to block these projects before they move forward

But this call does not end there.

The Gulf of California must be protected from these projects, and from any future large-scale industrial or human interventions that would threaten its ecological balance, disrupt marine life, endanger coastal communities, or compromise its role as one of the great living systems of the ocean.

That action may take many forms: withholding public or private financing, denying permits, strengthening international protections, enforcing existing environmental commitments, demanding full transparency, supporting legal and scientific challenges, or mobilizing public pressure against the industrialization of the Gulf.

But the goal is clear: the Gulf of California must not be sacrificed to fossil fuel expansion, industrial development, or short-term economic interests.

For whales and other marine life, the consequences are not abstract. Large vessels increase the risk of ship strikes. Underwater noise can disrupt communication, migration, feeding, and reproduction.

Industrializing protected natural areas also brings greater greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks that extend far beyond the region itself.

We cannot wait until the damage is irreversible to decide this place was worth protecting.

The Gulf of California is not only Mexico’s responsibility. It is a global treasure. Its protection is tied to the future of ocean health worldwide, global climate resilience, biodiversity, and the communities who depend on the sea.

We ask decision-makers to honor existing environmental commitments and international protections. We ask financial institutions and investors not to fund projects that endanger the Gulf. We ask governments and international bodies to strengthen protections for this region. We ask NGOs, scientists, legal experts, artists, brands, advocates, and all individuals with a connection to the sea to stand together in defense of this ecosystem.

And we ask the public to learn, share, sign, and speak up.

Because some places are too important to sacrifice.

If the Gulf of California loses its balance, the loss will not belong to Mexico alone. It will belong to all of us.

Therefore, collectively:

We call for the protection of the Gulf of California.

We call for the blocking of the multiple proposed LNG projects threatening its future.

We call for a permanent line to be drawn against large-scale industrial projects and any human interventions that put the Aquarium of the World at risk.

Signed,

Marina Testino, Mariana Arriaga, Mariana M. de Alba, María Martín, Gerardo Berges, Alejandra Rabasa Salinas, and all those committed to protecting the Gulf of California and the future of ocean health around the world.

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