BajaNomad - BIOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR FISHERIES

BIOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR FISHERIES

DENNIS - 4-27-2012 at 08:24 AM

This just in from my friend, The Anonymous Nomad:

Ponente: Minerva Sáenz Valenzuela
Representantes Mexicanos de IGFA
Dirección: Cabo San Lucas, BCS, 23450 México. Teléfonos (624) 1431282
E-mail: minerva@minervas.com

We have participated in all the previous public forums, meetings, in which we have presented our objections to the initiative to free the species for sportfishing in the coastal strip of 50 miles. These objections have been all presented with technical documentation that demonstrates the serious deterioration of the populations of the species reserved exclusively for sportfishing. This deterioration has been caused by overfishing and has increased in recent years. This support can be found in the files of the National Fisheries where the abundance indicators are below the benchmarks established as critical. In accordance with the Codigo de Pesca Responsable, precautionary measures should be taken to reverse the population decline. Instead, there is emphasis is on commercialization.

We have tried to understand the technical merits of this initiative, but to date have found no support. The only two studies to justify the initiative are the following: a Study of the Dorado Biology conducted by the Centro de Investigaciones del Noroeste during the years 2005 and 2006. The results are incomplete, and at no time demonstrated the existence of a surplus of Dorado. A second fishery assessment was performed on the same dates for the Universidad del Mar in Puerto Angel, Oaxaca. The results on this evaluation were very poor. What is very well documented is the illegal commercial exploitation of species reserved for sportfishing. It is clear that these studies are older than six years, and current conditions are very different and in no way can these studies justify the commercialization of the species reserved exclusively for sportfishing particularly the Dorado, due to the lack of conclusive scientific basis. It is important to note that not even the Instituto National de Pesca have produced technical support for the commercialization of the Dorado. In the working meeting of the Commissioner of Fisheries and Aquaculture with the Fisheries Commission on February 22, the Commissioner of Fisheries and Aquaculture presented a very different reality.

To illustrate clearly the lack of technical support in decision making is to clarify that the National Fisheries of 2010 did not include the Dorado in their record cards. The record cards of 2006 do not include any sportfishing species. The last time these record cards contained any information about the Dorado were in 2004, and then the information used for processing this was taken from 2002. Consequently an informed decision is being made on information that is 10 years old.

Furthermore, researchers at the Instituto del Centro del Mar y Limnologia de la UNAM, as well as the Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, both institutions are located in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, have expressed their support for the initiative to commercialize the Dorado. It is important to note, that all written requests for their studies to support this position have met with the same response, they don’t have them.

Moreover, all studies conducted by researchers at the Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, have shown that shark fisheries, tuna fisheries and artisan fisheries throughout the Pacific States have a 50% incidental bycatch of Dorado. If we add the incidental bycatch of other species, the amount exceeds 70%. Well above the maximum limits which were established in the Incidental Bycatch Agreement which establishes the allowed amount of bycatch permitted in the Fishing Operations of Shark and Rays in the federal waters of the United Mexican States located in the Pacific Ocean on September 12, 2008.

Honorable members of congress, throughout all our public participations we have undoubtedly demonstrated the following:
1. The lack of technical support of the initiative to commercialize the species reserved exclusively for sportfishing and in particular the Dorado.
2. Illegally commercial over-exploitation by various fisheries: tuna, shark, artisan, etc.
3. The serious deterioration found in the populations of the species reserved for sportfishing, even below the minimum recommended in accordance with the Codigo de Pesca Responsible.
4. That commercial exploitation of species reserved exclusively for sportfishing is not the solution to the problems of coastal fishermen and the commercial fishing industy, and instead, to continue the illegal fishing will cause harm to people that will take years to recover.
5. The lack of interest by the CONAPESCA to enforce and comply with the law ladies and gentelmen, is set before you. We ask respectfully that you make a thorough analysis and afterwards we are confident and have no doubt that your conclusions will be the same as ours, that for the good of the Nation, the right thing to do is to dictate against the Commercialization of the species reserved for sportfishing.

Signed

Ing.Ricardo Hernández Carrasco
Representante IGFA
Oaxaca,Oaxaca

David Jones
Representante IGFA
La Paz, B.C.S.

Minerva Sáenz
Representante IGFA
Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S.

Nassim Joaquin Delbouis
Representante IGFA
Cozumel, Quintana Roo

Gary Graham
Representante IGFA
Baja California Sur

Martyman - 4-27-2012 at 11:16 AM

Thanks for the report.
I support a group called seawatch.org that is working on recovering the fishes in the Sea of Cortez.
Hopefully the CoOps can make some inroads on this huge problem. The fisheries can recover if proper management and enforcement is utilized.
Seems like Bahia Asuncion could be used as a model.

Hook - 4-27-2012 at 12:47 PM

Ya gotta love universities that refuse to divulge or make public their findings.

Wonder how big an, uh, "endowment" went to the marine biology departments...... :rolleyes:

Cypress - 4-27-2012 at 12:53 PM

DENNIS, Thanks for posting the facts. Lots of people can handle the facts, but they can't deny them. :yes:

Spearo - 4-27-2012 at 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
Ya gotta love universities that refuse to divulge or make public their findings.

Wonder how big an, uh, "endowment" went to the marine biology departments...... :rolleyes:

In the US, research done by public universities is public information. I'm not sure this is the case in Mexico.

Hook - 4-27-2012 at 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spearo

Quote:

In the US, research done by public universities is public information. I'm not sure this is the case in Mexico.

Well, it should be if it's used to establish public policy.

Cypress - 4-27-2012 at 03:25 PM

It doesn't take a PHD to determine that the fisheries in the Sea of Cortez are in trouble, big time. Plenty of triggerfish and pinto bass. After a while they'll be done.