The Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology of the National University of Mexico has a research station in Mazatlan, at the entrance of the Gulf of California. This site is characterized by the presence of a large number of estuarine systems and coastal lagoons, as well as a high number of islands. It is a site of high productivity, therefore the fishing industry is highly developed.
At the station, there is a qualified staff of researchers and technicians on different aspects of marine biology, environmental chemistry, and physical oceanography working on the different aspects of the environments presents in the area.
Current projects involved the determination of the sources of contamination in the different ecosystems, the determination of blue carbon in mangrove systems, restoration of wetlands, ecosystem connectivity, habitat use and migration patterns of organisms, and the determination of climate change in the zone.