The increasing global demand for marine-derived food and energy resources has intensified competition for seascapes, creating unprecedented challenges for sustainable ocean governance.
This seminal book presents the first comprehensive analysis of decades of coexistence between fisheries and offshore oil industries in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico -a region central to Mexico's economy, cultural heritage, ecological resilience, and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Employing an innovative interdisciplinary approach grounded in social-ecological systems (SES) theory, it systematically examines the complex trade-offs emerging from this coexistence, where both sectors collectively help to sustain the nation's food and energy security. The 19-chapter volume integrates diverse methodologies to analyze how these industries coexist in shared spaces and address challenges for their sustainable governance.
The southwestern Gulf of Mexico embodies the convergence of global debates on sustainability, equity, and ocean governance. Few regions better illustrate the tensions and potential synergies between extractive industries and traditional livelihoods, making this book indispensable for all working on contested marine spaces, and particularly relevant for coastal countries facing similar challenges.
Alejandro Espinoza-Tenorio, Ph.D., is a Senior Researcher at El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) and member of Mexico's National System of Researchers (Level 2). As the co-founder of the Transdisciplinary Laboratory for Sustainability, he develops integrative approaches for coastal socio-ecological systems, combining fisheries co-management, ecological modeling, geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, serious games, and local knowledge to advance collaborative, ecosystem-based strategies. With over 80 peer-reviewed publications, his work focuses on tropical nearshore ecosystems and the design of holistic methodologies for integrating scientific innovation with community and stakeholder needs. His publications center on transdisciplinary research, technological solutions to socio-environmental challenges, and participatory governance, and he actively collaborates with communities, governments, and non-governmental organizations to bridge science, policy, and traditional practices.
Dora Elia Ramos Muñoz is an industrial engineer by training (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 1989) and obtained her Ph.D. in Ecology and Sustainable Development from El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) in 2002. Her publications address women's work, heritage, the hydrocarbon industry, artisanal fishing, and information technologies. She has conducted research in Mexico and Guatemala and has taught in Mexico, Guatemala, Germany, and Finland. She is a senior researcher in the Department of Society and Culture at ECOSUR and a member of Mexico's National System of Researchers.
Enrique Núñez-Lara, Ph.D., is a researcher and teacher at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Universidad Autónoma del Carmen and a member of Mexico's National System of Researchers since 2008. He has led six research projects on environmental topics, including sustainability indicators, coral reef ecology, climate change effects, and species distribution modelling, founded by the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation. His research and teaching are focused on methodological designs applicable to tropical ecosystems, sustainability assessments, and reef fish community ecology. He is currently a teacher in the Master's program of Restoration Ecology and the undergraduate program of Marine Biology.
