Loreto opened its 2025 whale watching season on Tuesday with new regulations designed to protect blue and gray whales in the waters surrounding Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto. The season runs through March 30, and officials from CONANP, Mexico’s national natural protected areas commission, say enforcement will be tighter this year as both visitor numbers and whale populations grow in the region.
Loreto’s Marine Park Has Regulated Whale Encounters Since 2003
Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto covers roughly 206,000 hectares of the Sea of Cortez, stretching across the waters surrounding five islands: Coronados, Del Carmen, Danzante, Montserrat, and Santa Catalina. The park was established by federal decree in 1996 and is one of the core protected areas within the UNESCO World Heritage site “Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California,” designated in 2005.
Whale watching in Loreto has been commercially active since the early 2000s. Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, feed in the nutrient-rich channel between Isla del Carmen and the Baja California Sur coastline each winter. Gray whales also pass through on their annual migration from Alaska to the breeding lagoons farther south at Laguna San Ignacio and Laguna Ojo de Liebre.
CONANP has required permits for commercial whale watching operators in the park for over two decades. But enforcement has historically been inconsistent. In previous seasons, local fishermen and unlicensed pangas have been observed approaching whales at close range without authorization. The new season brings updated guidelines that specify minimum approach distances and limit the number of boats allowed near a single whale at one time.
According to the announcement, boats must now maintain a distance of at least 80 meters from any whale. No more than four vessels may be present within 200 meters of an individual whale simultaneously. Engines must be set to neutral when a whale surfaces nearby. These rules apply to all watercraft, not just commercial tour operators.
Tour Operators Must Display Permits and Follow Time Limits
Under the updated regulations, every commercial whale watching boat must carry and visibly display a valid CONANP permit. Each encounter is limited to 30 minutes per vessel. Operators are prohibited from chasing whales, cutting across their path, or positioning boats directly in front of a swimming animal.
CONANP officials said they will deploy park rangers on the water during peak hours to monitor compliance. Violators face fines under Mexico’s General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA), which can range from 50 to 50,000 times the daily minimum wage. At current rates, that translates to penalties between roughly 13,000 and 13 million pesos ($650 to $650,000 USD).
Loreto has roughly a dozen licensed whale watching operators. Typical tours depart from the Loreto marina or the nearby village of Ligüí and last between two and three hours. Prices generally range from 1,200 to 2,500 pesos ($60 to $125 USD) per person. Some operators combine whale watching with snorkeling at Coronados Island or visits to sea lion colonies.
The season’s timing coincides with Loreto’s peak tourist months. The town has seen growing interest from both Mexican and international visitors, aided by direct flights from Calgary, Los Angeles, and Dallas to Loreto International Airport. Hotel occupancy in Loreto during January and February has averaged above 70% in recent years, according to state tourism data.
Blue Whale Sightings in Loreto Have Increased Since 2018
Researchers from the Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (CICIMAR) in La Paz have been conducting annual blue whale surveys in the Loreto channel since 2008. Their data shows a notable uptick in sightings since 2018, with the 2024 season recording over 40 individual blue whales identified by photo matching of their dorsal fin markings.
This concentration makes Loreto one of the most reliable locations in the world to observe blue whales in relatively shallow, calm waters. The whales feed on dense aggregations of krill that accumulate in the channel between Isla del Carmen and the mainland, where underwater topography creates upwelling currents.
Gray whale sightings in the park are less predictable. Most gray whales continue south to the Pacific lagoons for calving. But juvenile gray whales and non-breeding adults are spotted in Loreto waters regularly between January and March.
The season’s first organized patrol departed Tuesday morning from the Loreto marina. CONANP plans to publish weekly sighting reports through March 30. This story was first reported by El Sudcaliforniano.