Institutional mapping and implementation of the sustainable development goals across co-existing industries: The case of the fisheries-oil system in Mexico

Abstract

The coexistence of fisheries and oil industry operations creates challenges for the state and institutions responsible for natural resources and socioeconomic welfare, as regional sustainable development depends on institutional performance and equilibrium. Through an institutional mapping approach, this study analyzes the Mexican governmental system linked to the fisheries and oil industry and the attention it pays to the sustainable development goals (SDG) in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico (SGM). Institutional roles and responsibilities pertaining to the SDGs were quantified and qualified through a relationship matrix using official information for 2018–2022. We identified five sectors directly responsible for the activities of the fisheries and oil industry, which included 37 related institutions and agencies. The Mexican governmental system assumes more responsibility for economic development and infrastructure (SDG 8 and 9) while much less attention is given to food security and gender (SDG 2 and 5). By evaluating the performance of the governmental system, we identified an imbalance in decision-making between the economic, environmental, and societal dimensions. We describe the intricate institutional network operating within the fisheries-oil system of the SGM and discuss institutional actions and their impacts on sustainable development.