Marine park fees generate 12 million pesos in 2018, fees increase in 2019

[WetInPortland]

Interesting article on the Cozumel Marine Park fees, that generated a little less than $12 million pesos, or using a rough average of 19:1, about $615,000 USD in 2018, down slightly from 2017.

Also mentioned, and this question is asked here from time to time, the cost of the park entry bracelet in 2018 was 34 pesos ($1.79 USD) and will increase to "more than" $36 pesos ($1.90 USD) in 2019.

Visitors leave behind $12 million pesos in Cozumel tourism fees (via Google Translate)

Original article in Spanish

 

[Scubagolf]

That works out to 1,000 divers per day who paid the fee. At 12 person per boat average that’s 83 dive boats which seems about right from my visits. I have no problem with the $1.90 park fee, but is it being spent on reef preservation or is it just a use tax going to the Mexico government?

 

[ChuckP]

Somehow someway you can buy a card online instead of the bracelet thing, a local on the boat one day was telling us about it. I thought it was 20 bucks for the card, you can have a copy on your phone to show people in charge.....

 

[WetInPortland]

Somehow someway you can buy a card online instead of the bracelet thing, a local on the boat one day was telling us about it. I thought it was 20 bucks for the card, you can have a copy on your phone to show people in charge.....

I found a post in one of the Cozumel Facebook groups regarding the Marine Park Conservation Passport, that sounds like what you're describing. Breakeven point is about 10 park entries per year (no indication if this is rolling or calendar year). It's not stated but seems to imply that the passport is available to everyone, not just locals. The process given says to work with your dive operator. The reference link in the article is now dead, but perhaps @Christi or @Dave Dillehay could enlighten us?

The article goes on to mention that the passport is also valid at other Mexican federal parks, but doesn't list which ones.

There is also a Cozumel parks department card for locals only that grants admission to the museum (when it reopens), Punta Sur, and Chankanaab.

 

[diverken374]

Yes as I understand the fees collected for the marine park go into the general Mexican coffers not back to the Cozumel marine park.
There is a marine park pass that will get you a year of diving in any marine park in Mexico for around $20 however we tried to get it here in Cozumel and the marine park administration has not made it available....very frustrating to those of us that dive here regularly!