Authorities in La Paz are cracking down on illegal attempts to block public access to beaches, with fines now reaching up to $600 USD. The Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) is encouraging residents to report any obstructions through the La Paz mobile app, which allows users to flag barriers ranging from buildings and fences to vegetation and natural obstacles like rocks.
Roberto Higuera, head of Zofemat La Paz, emphasized that occupying federal zone land without permission from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) is a legal offense. “These are federal public domain areas,” Higuera said. “They cannot be privatized or restricted.”
Under Mexican law, beaches belong to all citizens. The Federal Maritime Land Zone, as defined by Article 119 of the General Law on National Assets, extends 20 meters (65 feet) inland from the shoreline. Violators face penalties from $150 to $600 USD and risk losing their concessions.
Following Mayor Milena Quiroga’s orders, local officials have already restored access to several blocked beaches thanks to reports from the public. Higuera urged citizens to continue reporting cases, saying, “Community participation is key to reclaiming these illegally occupied areas.”
Although the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) has the authority to impose sanctions, the La Paz app streamlines the reporting process and facilitates faster coordination with federal agencies. The city has already sanctioned several developers in Southern Baja California who treated public beaches as private property, installing unauthorized gates and signage that PROFEPA later removed.
Between January and April, eight cases of beach obstruction were reported. Higuera said the city has shifted from its 2023 strategy of simply dismantling gates on-site. Now, structures are sealed while removal procedures are formally processed.
The city’s new approach involves multiple agencies. The Integrated City Management Department checks whether buildings have the proper permits, while the City Council forwards cases involving potential environmental crimes to PROFEPA. Higuera added that some cases are also being sent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, as blocking public access to beaches is a criminal offense under the Baja California Sur Penal Code.
Roughly 127 beaches line the coasts of the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean. As developers push forward with new projects, citizens, journalists, environmentalists, and community leaders are increasingly speaking out. “We even discovered a site where they planned to install gates to control vehicle access—something that’s completely illegal,” Higuera said. “The people of La Paz and Baja California Sur are uniting to protect their beaches from private interests and unchecked development.”