Pangueros

Eco-social issues aside, I have always admired the pangueros, the fishermen of the Sea of Cortez. At every opportunity I talk with them and try and learn more about their lives on the Sea, their challenges and complaints. I don’t doubt for a moment that there are bad things, ecologically speaking, happening in the Sea due to overfishing by pangueros, recreational and commercial fisheries and poor management – everyone plays a role.

But here, I simply want to focus on a dying trade, a profession that will soon disappear …
Like many stories, theirs is complicated (Take, for example, the fishermen in the Colorado River Delta region - dealing with the plight of the vaquita and trying to fish in a biosphere reserve in a dying river delta http://www.bajatrekker.com/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=51 ).

Photographs help capture a moment in time when the idealism of their lifestyle is un-obscured by politics or ecology, at least in my mind. So, for now, here are a few:













greg

(all photos copyright: BajaTrekker.com)

Just my 2¢... Most pangueros are hard working, honorable salt of the earth type folks just trying to scratch out a living. However, their numbers appear to be dwindling at least in the Santa Rosalia to Mulége area. I wish there were co-ops here like on the Pacific side of Baja that could regulate the fisheries. A lot of the pangueros in this area (Punta Chivato) have gone to inshore nets. I watch them pull them and see most of the fish are tossed back, dead. It is really sad to see them work so hard for so little. And their way of life is dying a little each time they pull a net and kill so many under size fish. I really enjoy fishing from the beach but three days ago I went out and was skunked at 5 different places. At 2 of those beaches I talked with the local workers that said the pangueros had just been netting the whole coast line for the last two weeks. That's at least 10 boats every day along maybe 12 miles of shoreline. I don't even know what the San Bruno, San Lucas and Santa Rosalia pangueros are doing. I love the people and the culture but hate their use of nets. Sorry if I high jack this thread the Photos are really great! Here's one I took in front of my place.

[Edited on 11-29-2008 by Russ]

I also agree with Russ and Lauri - I hate to see the fishemen setting gill nets - there is so much 'bycatch' associated with it. Destroying their own future along with the Sea's productivity ...

And Sharks, no, they let me take a photo of the baby shark then they ripped the hook out and threw the shark overboard.



greg

Sad report on one group of pangeros

Night before last a group of about 8 pangeros came in and all night made sets along the 10 or so miles of beach here. They took EVERYTHING! Small mesh nets and lights. The morning after the local pangeros said they just fill up their boats and have an isolated location where they unload into a big truck. Sell it to be ground up for chicken or fish feed. Everyone seems to know them and know that they move from area to area cleaning the shores wherever they go. Totally illegal so that I'm told is why they trailer their boats out of the area they just fished to unload. They were gone by first light. SAD!

That really sucks - I remember a couple of fishermen I talked with said they were from TJ and were so far from home (Near BLA) because they were looking for work (better fishing). They essentially were doing the same thing - taking anything they could, but still throwing HUGE AMOUNTS of bycatch over board 'dead and dying' as the saying goes.

By metaphor - we all like to take care of our own front yard, but if its not yours, who cares? Unless you're that nosey neighbor ;0). In terms of the environment, I like being a nosey neighbor...

But if the system is corrupt how can anything ever change without vigilantism or revolution?

greg

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ Night before last a group of about 8 pangeros came in and all night made sets along the 10 or so miles of beach here. They took EVERYTHING! Small mesh nets and lights. The morning after the local pangeros said they just fill up their boats and have an isolated location where they unload into a big truck. Sell it to be ground up for chicken or fish feed. Everyone seems to know them and know that they move from area to area cleaning the shores wherever they go. Totally illegal so that I'm told is why they trailer their boats out of the area they just fished to unload. They were gone by first light. SAD!

gringorio, Thanks for the pics.