Environmental planning is essential for balancing resource management with ecosystem conservation. Its goal is to align the interests of stakeholders, including the government, oil companies, and fishing communities, ensuring sustainable resource use. Environmental policy instruments are key in linking policy development and its implementation by considering various stakeholders’ roles, knowledge, and ideas, promoting governance. However, these instruments, although legally binding, often lack effectiveness with a limited impact. Oil extraction, tourism, and fishing are the main economic activities in the Gulf of Mexico, which have the potential to have environmental impacts. Environmental policy planning helps mitigate these impacts by identifying suitable areas for these activities, derived from management policies and Environmental Laws. However, the success of this planning process needs to consider political power struggles and citizens’ rights to a healthy environment. This chapter reviews the type of environmental instruments used in Mexico, particularly planning instruments linked to coastal and marine zones, and their relation with governance as a support strategy. The case of Tabasco is addressed as an example of their implementation and usefulness. Finally, the review notes that political priorities at the state and federal government levels lead to a lack of interest in the use of these types of instruments in decision-making.