Paulclark - 6-3-2009 at 08:30 AM
Mexico's Senators Applaud TBF's Efforts
Pete Johnson - billfish.org
To read Senator Coppola's bill and proposal in both English and Spanish, along with the letter thanking TBF's efforts, go to TBF's website at
billfish.org
Mexico City, Mexico - Though backed with a stronger sportfishing/conservation bill currently on the Senate floor in Mexico City that would close major
loopholes in the current law, its proponents now face opposition from political and commercial fishing interests pushing legislation to open the
dorado fishery more.
For over two decades dorado (also called dolphinfish, mahi-mahi or goldmakrele) along with billfish (striped marlin, sailfish, etc.), tarpon and
roosterfish have been regulated as sport fish in Mexican waters. But a controversial directive, 15 NOM-029 also known as "Shark Norma," authorized by
Mexico's fisheries agency CONAPESCA in May 2008, allows for the "incidental" harvest of billfish, dorado and other species within Mexico's
conservation zones. The area has long attracted the illegal fishing interests in the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) waters and Pacific Ocean
coasts and tons of illegal dorado shipments into the United States.
Based on a multi-year socio-economic study by The Billfish Foundation (TBF), the new conservation bill was introduced by Senators Luis Alberto Coppola
Joffroy and Humberto Andrade Quezada with endorsements by Sen. Jaime Rafael Díaz Ochoa, Sen. Luis Fernando Rodríguez Lomelí and Sen. Emma Lucía Larios
Gaxiola. In March it received unanimous support by the Congress of the Mexican State of Baja California Sur (BCS).
But members of Mexico's PRD (Party of Democratic Revolution) political faction countered by introducing an initiative to allow dorado to be harvested
by commercial fishermen contrary to the law that regulates dorado, billfish and other species as sport fish only.
In turn Coppola and Andrade, both members of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) brought to the Senate floor in May a proposed "agreement
with arguments" against the dorado commercial fishery. It too received the Senate's full support in late May.
For both of their conservation initiatives the senators used TBF's study that revealed sportfishing tourism added over $630 million dollars annually
directly to the BCS economy.
Study: 24,000 Jobs Created in Los Cabos Region; One Billion Dollars in Economic Activity
The study led by TBF Science Director Dr. Russell Nelson and Rob Southwick, Southwick & Associations, Inc., revealed 354,013 people fished in Los
Cabos in 2007, most all of them international visitors spending an estimated $633.6 million USD for lodging, charter boats, food, transportation,
tackle, fuel and more.
Positive cascading economic effects in the local economy included the creation of 24,426 jobs, $245.5 million USD in local and federal tax revenues,
and $1.125 billion USD in total economic activity. Visitors who fish there provided an estimated 24.1 percent of the total Los Cabos economy the
report disclosed
Specific waters includes the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts 50 miles out and an additional large area off Cabo that extends about 150 miles north
and south and 100 miles out from the coast. Coppola's bill would clearly eliminate the commercial market's sale and the possibility of any bycatch
exceptions for billfish, dorado, tarpon and roosterfish protected by the existing conservation zones
Original Bill May Sit Through the Summer
But that bill will likely sit until after a summer-long recess in August, when the three year terms of the PRD's lame-duck congressmen end and the new
congressmen's terms begin.
"Before the 'war' can be won, i.e. the passage of the Coppola's bill for sportfishing and conservation, he must wait for the 'battle' to be won,"
characterized Guillermo Alvarez, TBF's Mexican conservation director, of the situation. "We hope over the summer Senators Coppola and Andrade can gain
even more support among other lawmakers in the 31 states of Mexico."
In a letter thanking TBF President Ellen Peel, a spokesman for the two senators wrote, "Mexico can not afford to divert from its sport fish
conservation tradition and we will not tolerate this (commercial harvesting of dorado, etc.) to happen."
"In difficult times - as we are going through because of the influenza outbreak - competitiveness lies on sportfishing as TBF's economic research
shows," stated Joel Macias de Lara who coordinates the senator's advisory group.
Wire service reports in late May announced Mexico was spending $90 million to attract tourists after the severe fallout of visitors led by the news on
the country's flu epidemic. Because of the flu Los Cabos saw several major tournaments postponed or cancelled.
"TBF's recent socio-economic study in the Baja Sur region of the country makes clear that billfishing is an important economic stimulus to the nation,
therefore billfish, dorado and other species important to anglers should be protected," said Ms. Peel.
"The Billfish Foundation applauds Senator Coppola for his two current initiatives now in Congress. He once again is demonstrating his strong
commitment to good conservation and a strong economy. Senator Coppola understands that good conservation pays. Many areas in Mexico are famous and
were economically strong not too long ago because of sportfishing. But if the fish important to sportfishing are allowed to be sold, then anglers and
their dollars will go to other nations to fish. TBF urges the Senate to join forces with Coppola for the good of the country, its economy, the fish
and the ocean."
To read Senator Coppola's bill and proposal in both English and Spanish, along with the letter thanking TBF's efforts, go to TBF's website at
billfish.org
Established in 1986 by the late Winthrop P. Rockefeller, The Billfish Foundation is the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to conserving
and enhancing billfish populations worldwide. With world headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., USA, TBF's comprehensive network of members and
supporters includes anglers, captains, mates, tournament directors, clubs, sportfishing and tourism businesses. By coordinating efforts and speaking
with one voice, the organization works for solutions that are good for billfish, not punitive to recreational anglers and good for the local economy.
TBF's phone number is 800-438-8247.
rpleger - 6-3-2009 at 09:43 AM
Thank you for that posting, there seems to be a lot of corruption and conflict within the government on this issue... 
BajaBruno - 6-3-2009 at 12:13 PM
Thanks, PaulClark. And yes, rpleger, there is always corruption, everywhere, when big business interests are involved in an issue.
The only way to counter the corrosive effects of Big Money is with an equal push from the other side. Now, if some benevolent group wanted to help
write letters to Mexico City for all the hotels, fishing guides, restaurants, curio shops, and other businesses impacted by Shark NORMA, then sport
fisherpeople might have a fighting chance.
I will chip in for postage.
BajaBruno - 6-3-2009 at 05:17 PM
This afternoon my wife telephoned an aide at BCS Senator Luis Coppola's office. Apparently the senator is quite worked up about Shark Norma (NOM-029)
and is rallying other senators to get his bill passed. Nothing will happen, of ocurse, until they return from recess in September.
Interestingly, the aide said that the senator is very open to comments from Americans on the NOM-029 issue. Here are email addresses for some of the
principles (which I took from (http://www.billfish.org/new/NewsArticle.asp?ArticleID=60) :
Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, Presidente de Mexico, felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx
Cesar Nava, Secretario Particular, cesar.nava.vazquez@presidencia.gob.mx
Alberto Card##as, Secretario Sagarpa, alberto.Card##as@sagarpa.gob.mx
Ramon Corral, Comisionado Nacional de Acuacultura y Pesca, rcorrala@conapesca.sagarpa.gob.mx
Saniago Creel Miranda, Coordinador del GPPAN, santiago.creel@pan.senado.gob.mx
Manlio Fabio Vbeltrones, Coordinador del PRI, beltrones@senado.gob.mx
Arturo Escobar, Senador PVEM, aescobar@senado.gob.mx
Luis Coppola Joffroy, Senador PAN, luis.coppola@pan.senado.gob.mx
Jorge Alfonso Ituurbide Gurerra, Tecnico Secretaria Partiular Presidencia, aiturbide@presidencia.gob.mx