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Recent Boat inspections by local Fonmar sponsored enforcement highlight the damage caused by Norma 029 and the newly enacted 30% by catch regulation

“When Shark Norma 029 was strongly supported by the commercial fishing industry, the red flags should have gone up”.

The holds of these boats working under Shark norma 029 contained up to 97% protected Dorado

Within the past month, several commercial fishing boats were found to be carrying tons of protected dorado while operating under shark Norma 029. The “Helen” was carrying over 7 tons of dorado. The “Mildred” was carrying 8 tons. The “Laura Antoniana II” was carrying over a ton of dorado, and only 2 small sharks. Mexico’s shark fishing regulation 029, encourage this type of destructive fishing by allowing longliners into the species rich waters, at and inside the 1000 fathom curve (~50 miles) and the new 30% by catch regulation legalizes the sale of protected species like marlin and dorado. . Henry Collard, a longliner and president of the commercial fishing union, canainpesca, http://fis.com/canainpesca/que-es-f.htm and the owner of the Helen and Mildred, said he is a good friend of the director of fisheries Ramón Corral and issued strong treats and retaliation against anyone daring to confiscate his illegal catch from the Mildred and the Helen.

Shark Norma 029 was strongly supported by the commercial fishing industry

NOM-029, a shark fishing regulation, and the new “30% by catch agreement”, an attempt to legalize the capture of protected species by calling them an allowable “incidental by-catch”, masquerade as legal measures to protect Mexico’s fisheries. In fact, these rules strongly supported by Mexico’s commercial longline industry, permit the commercial fishing industry to move their non selective and destructive longline and drift gillnet boats to within 15 miles of the coast, to target, billfish and dorado, species protected within 50 miles of the shoreline. The “30% by catch agreement”, which recently became law within the regulations of CONAPESCA-SAGARPA, legalizes the capture and sale of dorado and billfish, while allowing boat captains to self-report, using an honor system that simply trusts each commercial fishing boat captain to avoid targeting lucrative and protected sport species, and to honestly report by-catch levels at the end of each year.

Typical by-catch is more than 90%

CONAPESCA’s own records show that the actual by-catch rate of longliners was over 90% in the years studied, from 1986 through 2003. Even though the “30% by catch agreement” sets arbitrary by-catch maximums (like 4% for dorado, 7% swordfish, etc.), the regulations do nothing to enforce or reduce the actual by-catch rates. NOM-029 is nothing more than wishful thinking for its supporters, and a gigantic invitation to commercial fishing operations that want to pillage Mexico’s lucrative and protected sport fishery and inshore water. You can make the allowable by catch anything that makes you feel good, make it 10% if that sounds better, but since they are using the same gear, during the same time of day, the actual by-catch will continue to be over 90%.

Federal fuel subsidies for these longliners, illegally fishing dorado were over $100,000 USD per boat

It appears that Mexico’s government really has no interest in protecting sport and other inshore species. The “Helen” and the “Mildred” actually received over $100,000 USD each in fuel Federal fuel subsidies this year to illegally target protected fish. And now, under the NOM-029’s “30% by catch agreement”, they can target and sell protected sport fish with even more impunity by simply classifying them as “incidental by-catch”.

Does Mexico care about its protected sports fisheries? The hypocrisy of its actions provide a resounding answer to that question, and the answer is NO.

Leave a comment

1. What I really don’t understand, with my limited knowledge of this particular situation, is why does the Mexican gov’t allow all of this illegal fishing that’s going on when it doesn’t even benefit the Mexican people. I’m confused about this, it’s like having no food in the cupboard and ten dollars in your pocket and then just “letting”, without any consequences, someone steal your ten dollars out of your own pocket?

   — Kier Delaney · Oct 5, 12:27 · #

2. Our company operates large big game fishing tournaments in Cabo San Lucas, which pumps big bucks into the local economy. I have personally watched the fishing decline year after year. Cabo is built on fishing for God’s sake! How nearsighted and ignorant can one government be? Well, when all the fish are gone and Cabo becomes a dead city, you will know the answer.

   — ken kavanaugh · Oct 7, 16:53 · #

3. how will they ever truely regulate the oceans with this type of illegal activity ?

   — norman · Oct 9, 18:43 · #

4. Just looking at the fish on a longline shows that Dorado, Turtles, and Billfish are the targets. I have seen many longlines within 30 miles of San Carlos with mostly Dorado hooked.

   — John Wheatley · Oct 21, 14:18 · #

5. We spend alot of money in mexico every mouth @ if there is no fishing there will be no more money spent in mexico

   — bill klotz · Oct 30, 10:05 · #