The plans would favour job conservation and marine environment and comercially-valued species protection. (Photo: Sagarpa)
MEXICO
Tuesday, August 19, 2014, 22:00 (GMT + 9)
The federal government has launched 18 Fisheries Management Plans (PMPs) to encourage sustainability, conservation and availability of fish, molluscs and crustaceans of commercial interest in the main producing areas of the country's coastlines.
The main objective is to guarantee consumers have the supply of high nutritional valued seafood.
The plans were prepared by the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA) and commissioned by the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA), both entities under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA).
It is expected that each plan contributes to the preservation of jobs and help protect the marine environment and species of commercial interest and high demand in the market.
Besides, the Mexican government promotes actions to improve social and economic conditions of the inhabitants of the fishing communities located in coastal areas.
The plans cover several species:
- Geoduck from Baja California Norte and Sonora;
- Gulf weakfish, red urchin and small pelagic -- sardine, mackerel, northern anchovy, mouthy, charrito and pineapple, among other resources of northwestern Mexico;
- Pacific yellowfin tuna;
- Blue crab from Sinaloa and Sonora;
- Giant Squid;
- Shrimp – brown, white, seabob, pink, red and rock species -- lobster, snail, reef cod, sea bass and octopus in the Gulf of Mexico.
Each fishery management plan is a tool to support national fisheries and brings together a series of actions aimed at developing the same balanced, comprehensive and sustainable manner.
"Its development is based on the current knowledge of biological, fisheries, environmental, economic, cultural and social aspects that INAPESCA collects and analyzes, with the participation of the producers themselves, federal, state and municipal authorities, higher and research and academic institutions centres," reported SAGARPA.
The Secretariat also noted that through management plans surveys are conducted to gauge the fishing effort supporting the catch areas and the available biomass is evaluated, which could be exploited. Furthermore, studies are specified to establish the developmental stages of organisms and the feasibility of setting bans to protect their reproductive cycles.
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- Management plan set for yellowfin tuna
- Management plan promotes white and brown shrimp sustainability