BajaNomad

Baja marine conservation efforts

surfhat - 8-22-2017 at 03:39 PM

Just found this most excellent article from National Geographic Magazine about Marine preservation attempts in some coastal communities.

The acceptance by these fisherman and their coops of the undeniable truth that such efforts can serve them well for their futures, is to be commended. Bless all of them for knowing better than to ravage existing stocks to the brink of extinction.

http//www.national geographic.com/magazine/2017/09/baja-mexico-marine-conservation-tourism-fish-sharks-whales/?

I hope I got that contact right, but at least it should get everyone close spot they can review it for themselves. Hope springs eternal and these efforts should be applauded. Thanks to all here.

surfhat - 8-22-2017 at 03:43 PM

Meant to say, so they can review the article for themselves. I don't where how the word spot got in there. Duh.

SFandH - 8-22-2017 at 03:53 PM

Good find!! Thanks.

fixed link

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/09/baja-mexi...



[Edited on 8-22-2017 by SFandH]

shari - 8-22-2017 at 06:26 PM

We are very proud of the fishing cooperativas here in the central Pacific side who embrace sustainable fishing. The vigilancia program that patrols the area takes a large chunk of change out of their pockets but they know if they dont protect it fiercely, their offspring will have no future fishing so they are super strict about poaching...zero tolerance.
The stocks are very well researched and monitored by evaluations by biologists every few months so if a species is not doing well, the quotas are lowered or even suspended until it recovers which is hard on the local economy but worth it in the long run.

carlosg - 8-22-2017 at 07:26 PM

Thanks surfhat and SFandH for posting this beautiful information... :)
Quote: Originally posted by shari  
We are very proud of the fishing cooperativas here in the central Pacific side who embrace sustainable fishing. The vigilancia program that patrols the area takes a large chunk of change out of their pockets but they know if they dont protect it fiercely, their offspring will have no future fishing so they are super strict about poaching...zero tolerance.
The stocks are very well researched and monitored by evaluations by biologists every few months so if a species is not doing well, the quotas are lowered or even suspended until it recovers which is hard on the local economy but worth it in the long run.




Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  
Quote: Originally posted by Russ  
Just made plans to head out to do some shore fishing. Good thing we planned other location than here. With 4 or 5 of these boats working the Punta Chivato area there really isn't much chance to catch anything. ...


We saw these guys out side Bahia Santa Inez last Friday and also counted at least four (but was told there were five) shrimpers near El Faro in Mulege... its so unfortunate the illegality of this mass destruction of the ecosystem but even worse, talking to a local fisherman he said: "if you can't beat them... join them": locals help them resupply and do repairs to the shrimper boats.

I remember when we visited Bahia Asuncion about two-three years ago (2013), we were invited by a local fisherman:

_BN_20130921_122302.jpg - 246kB

Mr. Verduzco,

from the local Cooperativa; he told us that his intention in taking us out to sea (he didn't charge a cent but I left money for gas) was to educate us in the way that the local fishermen take a hands-on approach in preserving and protecting their livelihood: they go after poachers, detain them and turn them in to the authorities, they go as far as having manned radio/radar equipped look-out stations along the their coast to spot all illegal activity... this should be a pattern all along the beautiful Baja coastline... both Pacific and SOC... in a perfect world.


This last spring we visited Bahía Magdalena (Puerto San Carlos), we met a local environmentalist (fisherman) and he told us the big problem that these predators are causing to their livelihoods, I told him about Bahía Asunción to what he replied: it's very difficult to get all the community together because most of us are from somewhere else not Bahía Magdalena...



[Edited on 8-23-2017 by carlosg]

shari - 8-23-2017 at 04:08 PM

it was a big sacrifice for the fishermen to take a big cut in profits when the vigilancia program was begun...it is quite expensive and tricky. But the Mag Bay fisherman nailed it...most everyone in the coop is from here...now 2nd generation and they realize that without it there is no future...and they cant just move away or find another job in a fishing village!