Riviera Nayarit, Mexico - After the National Commission for Environmental Protection (Conanp) announced the impending May 9 closure of the Marietas Islands due to environmental concerns, a meeting was held between Alejandro del Mazo Maza, the Director of the Conanp; the Nayarit and Jalisco tourism departments, and local biologists to discuss alternative solutions.

After the meeting, the Governor of the State of Nayarit, Roberto Sandoval Castañeda, ordered only Playa Escondida to be temporarily off-limits in order to regulate and improve the conditions of the Islas Marietas, an icon of the Rivera Nayarit.

"The Islas Marietas are not closed and certainly are not for sale," assured Roberto Sandoval. "The islands are national heritage sites and part of the internationally renowned natural landscapes that can be found in our destination. They are still a tourism icon of the Riviera Nayarit and will remain so forever."

The National Commission of Protected National Areas officially endorsed the release issued by Governor Sandoval on April 21st, stating the agreement was reached after the meeting.

"This is why we've made the decision to take action while we still can, when we can all work together, which is precisely what we're doing," added the director of Conanp, who pointed out the need for a joint strategy in order to achieve their goals.

Among the agreements was the need for new means of access to the beach, which would include strict rules and regulations that would guarantee the preservation of the islands' natural environment.

"This spot is the pride and joy of the people of Nayarit, but we also have to be responsible for the ecosystems and the natural attractions we have here in Nayarit, which is why we're defending both the Islas Marietas and Nayarit's service providers," added the Governor in a video he published on his social media accounts.

There will be months of work involved with specialists and authorities from the three levels of government in order to find alternatives that will compensate the economic impact on the tourism sector that will occur during the time the beach is closed off.

To listen to the statements of the Governor of Nayarit issued after the meeting in the Riviera Nayarit in the presence of representatives from the Federal and State governments as well as those from the academic and the business sectors, see the April 21 post on his Facebook page.