Defending Ohuira Bay, MexicoDownload PDF WHERE I WORK13 October 2025Melina Maldonado Sandoval, a member of the Mayo-Yoreme Indigenous community, assists researchers in studying the risks of petrochemical manufacturing in the Sinaloa region.ByRachael Pells0Rachael PellsRachael Pells is a freelance journalist in London.View author publicationsSearch author on: PubMed Google ScholarMelina Maldonado Sandoval is a fisher in Ohuira Bay, Mexico. Credit: Mahé Elipe for Nature“In this photograph, I am taking local reporters out into Ohuira Bay on Mexico’s west coast, where my community’s sacred sites lie. We fish shrimp and crab here, and collect snail shells to make crafts — a tradition that has been part of our Indigenous culture for generations. I’m a member of the Lázaro Cárdenas Yoreme-Mayo community and work as a fisher, but collaborate with scientists to collect marine-life samples for testing. Recently, we’ve been collecting turtles for a nearby research centre to test for signs of contamination. Heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury and selenium have been detected, and we think industrial pollution is a major contributing factor.Ohuira Bay is under threat. Since 2013, we’ve been fighting the proposed construction of a vast ammonia production and storage plant on our shores.The site lies in a network of coastal lagoons, islands and mangroves recognized as globally important for biodiversity. Researchers estimate that the plant could lead to a 60% drop in shrimp numbers and increase water temperatures by 3 °C. Even a 1 °C rise could devastate marine life.The company that’s promoting the project insists that the plant is safe and does not breach environmental laws. It did not respond to requests for comment.Nature 646, 768 (2025)doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03315-xThis interview has been edited for length and clarity. Little urchins, mischievous molluscs: my life as a sea champion These 99 ‘lab hacks’ will make your scientific work easier I deeply scan timber to reduce wasting this precious resourceSubjectsSocietyWater resourcesIndustryLatest on:SocietyWater resourcesIndustryJobs Associate or Senior Editor, Nature Health (Environmental health and Climate health)Title: Associate or Senior Editor, Nature Health (Environmental health and Climate health) Location: Shanghai, Beijing, New York - hybrid model Clo...Shanghai, Beijing, New York - hybrid modelSpringer Nature LtdAssociate or Senior Editor, Nature Communications (Photovoltaics)Job Title: Associate or Senior Editor, Nature Communications (Photovoltaics) Locations: Berlin, Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Milan or Madrid (hybrid...Berlin, Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Milan or Madrid (hybrid)Springer Nature Ltd