A proposed maritime route linking Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes, and Bahía de Banderas has run into political resistance from the Nayarit side of the bay. Mayor Héctor Santana says the idea cannot move forward on promises alone and is asking for environmental impact studies before any decision is made. The dispute now sits at the center of a larger question over mobility, tourism growth, and protection of marine life in Banderas Bay.
Bahía de Banderas pushes back on maritime route
Bahía de Banderas is resisting a proposed regional maritime connection linking Puerto Vallarta and Cabo Corrientes, saying the project has not demonstrated sufficient public benefit or environmental certainty to warrant support from the Nayarit municipality.
Mayor Héctor Santana García said he is not convinced the service is needed now. He first asked for environmental impact documents and a clearer review of the risks that increased boat traffic could pose to Banderas Bay. “Actualmente no es necesario como tal,” Santana said, while adding that he was not closed to reviewing the proposal if studies are presented.
His position leaves the project facing a regional coordination problem. Jalisco officials and tourism promoters have been pushing the idea of a broader Escalera Náutica, a network of docks and maritime routes meant to connect coastal communities and relieve pressure on land routes. But Bahía de Banderas is the Nayarit side of the same bay, and the municipality says it has not seen enough evidence to accept the plan.
Santana said any decision should weigh the possible gains against the risks. He pointed specifically to marine life, saying the municipality needs to know what effect a larger maritime route would have before it is treated as a regional mobility solution. “I remain firm in my position, and I am not in favor,” he said, describing it as his personal position.
A transportation project with a political gap
The maritime proposal has been framed by supporters as part of a wider mobility response between Puerto Vallarta, Cabo Corrientes, and Bahía de Banderas. The corridor already depends heavily on road connections, including Federal Highway 200 and the cross-state routes that feed the airport, hotel zones, and coastal communities.
Part of the maritime network is already visible. The Puerto Vallarta-Yelapa ferry began service in January with scheduled runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, connecting Puerto Vallarta with the Cabo Corrientes community in about 90 minutes.
Regional mobility is also being addressed by land. The Amado Nervo Bridge was reported nearly 70 percent complete in late April and has been described as a project that could reduce travel times between Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit by about 25 minutes.
Santana has cited those road projects as one reason Bahía de Banderas is not ready to endorse a waterborne alternative. His argument is not that maritime service could never exist. His argument is that the environmental and traffic assumptions have not been shown.
The bay’s environmental question
The strongest resistance has centered on marine life in Banderas Bay. Environmental groups and researchers have warned that more docks and more scheduled boat traffic could increase the risk of collisions with whales, manta rays, and sea turtles.
Groups including ECOBAC, GICOFF, GRIMMA, Proyecto Manta Pacific México, and researchers connected to UNAM have warned that the bay is used by protected species for feeding, reproduction, and migration. In a joint warning, they said the project “podría poner en riesgo a estas especies emblemáticas.”
Those groups have also argued that the problem is not only the construction of docks. It is the increase in daily vessel movement, routes, speeds, and enforcement. Their warnings have included reports of whale strikes, propeller injuries, and concerns about manta ray impacts in an already busy bay.
Federal environmental rules make the study question more than a local political demand. Mexico’s environmental review process uses the Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental as a technical tool to identify possible damage from a project and outline measures to prevent or reduce harm.
Jalisco’s plan keeps moving
The project has continued to advance in Jalisco’s public discussion. Recent coverage of the Escalera Náutica described a proposed investment of about 872 million pesos to construct and rehabilitate 12 public docks along the Jalisco coast and Banderas Bay. It also identified Boca de Tomatlán, Las Ánimas, and Quimixto among points already tied to the maritime system.
That puts Bahía de Banderas in a difficult position. The municipality is part of the same urban, tourism, and labor region as Puerto Vallarta, but it belongs to another state and is now signaling that Jalisco’s pace will not automatically become Nayarit’s consent.
The issue also follows a recent visit by federal Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora to the region, after which the project returned to public attention. Regional coverage said Bahía de Banderas officials were not included in a meeting with federal authorities, business representatives, and Jalisco tourism figures, even though the proposal could affect the bay as a whole.
