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Background
NOM-029 was originally touted as a way to reduce the overfishing of sharks and rays in Mexican waters. This deeply flawed regulation was rejected by the last 2 Mexican Presidencies, but strongly supported by commercial fishing interests.
NOM-029 will change current fishery law in ways that will have profound effects on sharks, rays and other fish populations. Several sections of the regulation will act as "Trojan Horses" to reverse the intended effects of this new regulation.
We need your help to call for a moratorium on the implementation of NOM-029.
Click Here to Contact Mexican Government Officials
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NOM-029\'s Trojan Horses
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- Reduction in Protected Zones
Prior to NOM-029, commercial fishing boats were not permitted to fish for, nor posess marlin, sailfish, dorado, and other protected species within the 50 mile protected zone. All boats in this zone were subject to sport fishing bag limits. These rules provided protection to a wide variety of marine life.
Under NOM-029 these species can be targeted and retained. Smaller commercial boats can fish within 10 miles of shore using longlines.
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- By-catch
NOM-029 does not restrict by-catch, allowing all "incidental" by-catch to be retained. Fact:By-catch runs 60% to 80% of the total catch. Studies have shown that longliner by-catch includes large quantities of Marline, Sailfish, and Dorado. In 1999, two longliners out of Magdalena Bay killed 11,743 striped marlin in 9 months.
Longliners fishing in protected areas with no restrictions on by-catch: a lethal combination for Sea of Cortez fish populations.
- No reduction in current permits
NOM-029 restricts new shark permits. However, according to reliable sources, there are already enough permits issued to allow more than 4,000 boats to drag longlines through areas that were protected from commercial fishing pressure before NOM-029\'s implementation.
Under current practices, than means more than 1.5 million hooks dragging through the Sea of Cortez at any time, fishing for sharks, rays, and other species. With no restrictions on by-catch, and virtually no protected areas, sporting species such as Marlin, Dorado, and Sailfish will disappear completely from the Sea of Cortez.
Click Here to Contact Mexican Government Officials
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| How You Can Help |
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We have been lobbying Mexican government officials to stop the implementation of this flawed regulation. You can help.
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Spread the word. Forward this e-mail to 5 friends. Let everybody know that they, too, can help stop this threat.
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Get informed. Follow this link to read the latest SeaWatch press release about this issue. The press release includes a link to the original legislation as well as an overview of the situation.
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Raise hell. Contact the government and civic officials who can make a difference. Contact your friends in the media. You can make a difference.
To help you get started, we\'ve assembled a list of government officials, complete with e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and street addresses. With one mouse click, you can send a message about NOM-029 to all of them. Click here to use our web site to send an e-mail message
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