Pelagic fish. (Photo: Conapesca)
MEXICOTuesday, December 09, 2014, 01:00 (GMT + 9)
The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food(SAGARPA) published the draft amendment to the Official Mexican Regulation NOM-003-PESC-1993 to regulate the catch of monterrey, piña, crinuda, bocona, Japanese varieties of sardine, and anchovy and macarela species, with purse seiners in federal waters of the Pacific Ocean, including the Gulf of California.
The text of the draft amendment which is intended to be published will remain as NOM-003-SAG/PESC-2014, to regulate the catch of small pelagic fish species with purse seine vessels in federal waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.
This NOM, published in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF), establishes the terms and conditions for small pelagic fishing vessels equipped with purse seine in order to induce the sustainable catch of the resources.
It is complemented with NOM-009-PESC-1993 standards, which establishes the procedure for determining the periods and closed areas for catching different species of aquatic flora and fauna, and NOM-062-PESC-2007 for the use of the location system and satellite monitoring of fishing vessels.
The small pelagic fishery is one of the most important ones in Mexico, which is ranked first as to fish production and the fifth considering its value. It develops mainly in the northwest of the country and in recent years it has represented up to 40 per cent of national fish production.
The small pelagic specimens are a source of good quality protein for human consumption and raw materials for feed production for poultry, swine and aquaculture industry as well as bait for commercial, recreational and artisanal fisheries.
This fishery is a source of 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the northwest of the country. The commercial catch of small pelagic fish is mainly performed with fishing vessels equipped with purse-seine.
Through the Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture Management of theNational Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA), SAGARPA conducted a review of the issue of catching small pelagic fishery in federal waters and proposed a series of adjustments to fisheries regulation measures considered in the NOM-003-PESC-1993.
Additionally, studies and technical opinions issued by the National Fisheries Institute(INAPESCA), through the Directorate General for Fisheries Research in the Pacific, were considered as well as other specialists, backed by the Institute.
The updated regulation is now submitted to public consultation for 60 natural days from the date of its publication in the DOF, so that the interested parties submit comments on CONAPESCA.