On July 19, 1996, by decree of the Mexican President, Ernesto Zedillo, the National Marine Park of Loreto Bay was established. Called "Bahia de Loreto Parque Nacional" in Spanish, the park encompasses 2,065 square kilometers of uninhabited island jewels such as Coronado, Carmen and Danzante and the wildlife-rich waters of the Sea of Cortez just off shore of the little seaside town of Loreto.

The Sea of Cortez is known as the Gulf of California to local Mexicans, or "Golfo de California".   Local conservation organizations such as Grupo Ecologista Antares and Eco-Alianza de Loreto are working with the new park system to bring scientific researchers to the area, to protect the resources, and to educate people about this unique environment.  Whales, dolphins, sea lions and a large variety of fish species thrive in the Park.

Sea Kayak Adventures, Inc. is one of the few tour operators to be granted a full license to operate tours in the Loreto Bay National Marine Park and in the federally protected gray whale lagoon of Magdalena Bay on the Baja California Peninsula's Pacific coast.  The islands in Loreto Bay National Marine Park enjoy far more protection than the islands off of La Paz,  where outfitters have established base camps with permanent structures.

Loreto is located 700 miles south of the USA/Mexico border, on the Sea of Cortez.  It was founded in 1697 by Jesuit missionaries and is the site of the first of all the California missions. In addition to Loreto's rich historical and cultural history, the town's scenery is spectacular, sandwiched between the Sea of Cortez and the rugged Sierra de la Giganta mountains.

UNESCO declares the Sea of Cortez Islands a World Heritage Site

In its continuing efforts to conserve and protect cultural and natural heritage, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (also known as Sea of Cortez) in Baja California, Mexico, a World Heritage Site.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites are diverse and unique wonders, such as the Great Wall of China, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the Galápagos Islands, and the Taj Mahal.  Baja California’s Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California is the newest addition to that impressive list. UNESCO reports that the Islands of the Gulf of California contain “striking natural beauty in a dramatic setting formed by rugged islands with high cliffs and sandy beaches, which contrast with the brilliant reflection from the desert and the surrounding turquoise waters.” The investigators were amazed at the diversity and abundance of bird and marine life, determining that the area “constitutes a unique eco-region of high priority for biodiversity conservation.”

The UNESCO site in the Sea of Cortez is home to 695 plant species, more than any other marine or island property on the World Heritage List. It is home to 891 species of fish (90% of which are endemic), 39% of the world’s total number of marine mammal species, and one third of the world’s marine whale and dolphin species.

"As a biologist who has snorkeled and dived on the Great Barrier Reef and in the kelp forest of the Pacific Northwest, I was astounded at the biological diversity of the Sea of Cortez -- the marine environment compares very favorably to both areas in terms of the number of interesting species of fish, invertebrates, and, well, just about everything." Robin Mittenthal, Sea of Cortez 2008