Area 31 (Atlantic, Western Central)

Overview

What is a Prospective FIP?
Prospective FIPs intend to meet the requirements for active FIPs within one year. These projects are posted on FisheryProgress to help users identify opportunities to support developing FIPs and prevent the start of duplicate FIPs. Prospective FIPs are not yet demonstrating progress toward sustainability.

Porto Jaibo and CeDePesca are developing a Fisheries Improvement Project for the brown shrimp  fishery operated with bottom trawls in the mexican Gulf of Mexico.  During the Development Stage, CeDePesca will conduct a MSC pre-assessment, provide improvement recommendations and develop a work plan for key issues.

Brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus fishery is located in front of Veracruz and Tamaulipas waters and is the most important shrimp fishery considering economical and social issues in the mexican Gulf of Mexico.  It is a sequencial fishery with catches inside coastal lagoons and in high seas. The offshore brown shrimp fishery occurs in waters under federal jurisdiction from the border with the United States Mexicans to the coast of Tabasco from 15 miles to 60 fathoms.  87% of industrial vessels are based on Tamaulipas.

Porto Jaibo and CeDePesca are developing a Fisheries Improvement Project for the brown shrimp  fishery operated with bottom trawls in the mexican Gulf of Mexico.  During the Development Stage, CeDePesca will conduct a MSC pre-assessment, provide improvement recommendations and develop a work plan for key issues.

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
CEDEPESCA
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Minerva Alonso
Phone 
+529992423250
Organization Name 
PORTOJAIBO
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Ismael Fernández
Email 
Phone 
+528332048507
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
20264
Expiration Date 
March 2024

Overview

Industry-led FIP was started by Netuno USA, Inc. and local supplier VPAS in 2021. The spiny lobster P. argus fishery is one of the most commercially important marine species and has been one of the most valuable marine species in Venezuela since the 1920’s. They are also ecologically important and a vital part of the artisanal and traditional fishing activity, which has been growing in importance throughout the history of the fishery. The main fishing methods permitted and adopted in Venezuelan spiny lobster fisheries are skin diving and traps. Skin divers use ‘salabardos’ hook to catch the lobster, which are aluminium rods (about 50 cm long), with a plastic loop at the end which ‘lasso’s the loop around the abdomen of the lobster. 

Industry-led FIP was started by Netuno USA, Inc. and local supplier VPAS in 2021. The spiny lobster P. argus fishery is one of the most commercially important marine species and has been one of the most valuable marine species in Venezuela since the 1920’s. They are also ecologically important and a vital part of the artisanal and traditional fishing activity, which has been growing in importance throughout the history of the fishery. The main fishing methods permitted and adopted in Venezuelan spiny lobster fisheries are skin diving and traps.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
October 01, 2021
18% 7% 18% 57%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

E Negligible Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Apr 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2024

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
IABS Americas
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Carla del Campo
Phone 
+ 34 683 192950
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
15963

Overview

FIP partners Sea Delight, Deep Sea Atlantic, Caribbean Sea Foods, Marisa Fisheries, Omicron Seafood, and CeDePesca have committed to the sustainability of the Suriname corvina and acoupa weakfish driftnet and trawling fisheries, and look forward to bringing about the necessary improvements in collaboration with other fishery stakeholders. 

Corvina (kandratiki, Cynoscion virescens) and acoupa weakfish (bang bang, Cynoscion acoupa) are between the most important commercial species of fish in Suriname and are fished by different fleets, including the artisanal driftnet fleet and the industrial trawling fleet.

In Suriname, the corvina and acoupa weakfish driftnet and trawling fisheries occur entirely within the waters of Suriname's Exclusive Economic Zone.  The driftnet fishery is conducted by open and closed Guyana boats using gillnets that are not anchored to the bottom but float with the tide.  On the other hand, the trawling fishery is conducted by Florida type trawling boats using otter trawl nets.

There has been no formal identification of stocks for Cynoscion virescens and Cynoscion acoupa along their geographical distribution; however, it is expected that the stock's biomass moves across fishing grounds in the Brazil-Guianas shelf.  This would mean that the stocks are most probably shared between Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Venezuela (most probably along the Venezuelan Guayana region) and Brazil (most probably along the Brazilian Goiania region).  In 2019, a stock assessment (Willems, in press) was conducted for these species using data collected in Guyana and Suriname and a method appropriate for data-deficient situations.  The results indicate that both species are overexploited.  However, by improving management measures and fishery practices to keep fishing effort at appropriate levels in Suriname and by strengthening collaboration between countries in the region, the stocks could be rebuilt to their optimal level.

This FIP aims to solve those sustainability obstacles that were identified through an MSC Pre-Assessment conducted in July 2020, and FIP partners are keen to join efforts with other stakeholders in the supply chain to attain a certifiable status for the fisheries.

FIP partners Sea Delight, Deep Sea Atlantic, Caribbean Sea Foods, Marisa Fisheries, Omicron Seafood, and CeDePesca have committed to the sustainability of the Suriname corvina and acoupa weakfish driftnet and trawling fisheries, and look forward to bringing about the necessary improvements in collaboration with other fishery stakeholders. 

FIP at a Glance

View current status
October 01, 2020
71% 18% 11%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
May 2024
Target End Date
Oct 2025

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
CeDePesca
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Tomas Willems
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
14453

Overview

This FIP covers the Atlantic Ocean stocks of bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tunas caught in the Grenada Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by vessels supplying the Southern Fishermen Association (SFA) and using pelagic longline, troll and dropline fishing gear. With the majority of the Grenada EEZ in deep oceanic water, large pelagics such as tuna dominate fisheries landings. For the purpose of this FIP, two key fisheries are considered to make up the Grenada tuna fleet: a pelagic longline and troll fishery that targets free schools of tuna and a troll and dropline fishery that targets large pelagics around anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs). The longline fleet consists of about 200 vessels, the majority of which make single-day trips, while approximately 120 fishers are active in the FAD fishery. The fishery falls under the jurisdiction of the Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) ICCAT. Within the EEZ, the development and management of marine resources fall under the jurisdiction of the Grenada Fisheries Division, a division of the Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management and Information.

This FIP covers the Atlantic Ocean stocks of bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tunas caught in the Grenada Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by vessels supplying the Southern Fishermen Association (SFA) and using pelagic longline, troll and dropline fishing gear. With the majority of the Grenada EEZ in deep oceanic water, large pelagics such as tuna dominate fisheries landings.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
November 01, 2020
64% 14% 21%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Aug 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2026

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
One Skip Development
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Brad Gentner
Phone 
1+202.455.4424
Organization Name 
Seven Seas Fisheries Consulting Ltd.
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Brad Gentner
Phone 
1+202.455.4424
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
14317

Overview

The fishery being assessed is StarKist Atlantic Ocean longline tuna fishery. The fishery targets albacore (Thunnus alalunga) tuna, bigeye (T. obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tunas. The pelagic longline vessels are flagged to Taiwan, St Vincent, Senegal, Panama and Belize and fish on the high seas (and occasionally in the national EEZs) in the Atlantic. The fishery is managed regionally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in the Atlantic Ocean.

The fishery being assessed is StarKist Atlantic Ocean longline tuna fishery. The fishery targets albacore (Thunnus alalunga) tuna, bigeye (T. obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tunas. The pelagic longline vessels are flagged to Taiwan, St Vincent, Senegal, Panama and Belize and fish on the high seas (and occasionally in the national EEZs) in the Atlantic. The fishery is managed regionally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in the Atlantic Ocean.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
March 01, 2020
36% 21% 43%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

D Some Past Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Mar 2024
Target End Date
Mar 2025

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Key Traceability Ltd.
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Tom Evans
Organization Name 
StarKist
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Matt Hall
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
13198

Overview

The small-scale and artisanal lobster fisheries of Belize began in the mid-to-late 1950s, with species harvested mainly for export to the United States. Today, the fisheries sector contributes significantly to the economy of Belize, ranking 5th in export earnings in 2015. Spiny lobster and queen conch are the most productive capture fisheries, with more than 90 percent of catch exported to the U.S. The Belize spiny lobster stock is part of a larger target stock that ranges from North Carolina to Brazil including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, West Indies and Caribbean. 

Fishermen harvest lobster and conch from the shallow waters of the barrier reef and offshore atolls using two types of vessels: small wooden sailboats and fiberglass skiffs. Sailboat fishers often fish for six to ten days and carry approximately eight dugout canoes and up to ten fishers, who free-dive and collect conch and lobster by hand using a hook stick. Fishers using skiffs are at sea for varying periods of time, usually two to three days and at times up to a week. Skiff fishers generally use traps or shades (casitas) to attract lobster and harvest using either hand, hook stick, noose/lasso or jamo net. The fleet pursuing the stock that will be part of the FIP is defined as fishers legally licensed by the Belize Fisheries Department and are members of the National Fishermen Cooperative or Northen Fishing Cooperative in Belize. 

 National Fishermen Cooperative and Northern Cooperative are the two largest fishing cooperatives in Belize, representing approximately 80 percent of Belize’s 2700+ commercial fishers combined.  These Co-ops and two private companies are currently the only entities allowed to export lobster, with an average of 500,000 lbs of lobster tails are exported annually. According to Belizean law, the fishing cooperatives are required to sell 5% of their lobster to local markets. The rest is exported, mainly to the U.S. 

The small-scale and artisanal lobster fisheries of Belize began in the mid-to-late 1950s, with species harvested mainly for export to the United States. Today, the fisheries sector contributes significantly to the economy of Belize, ranking 5th in export earnings in 2015. Spiny lobster and queen conch are the most productive capture fisheries, with more than 90 percent of catch exported to the U.S. The Belize spiny lobster stock is part of a larger target stock that ranges from North Carolina to Brazil including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, West Indies and Caribbean. 

FIP at a Glance

View current status
November 01, 2019
14% 36% 50%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

B Good Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Apr 2024
Target End Date
Nov 2024

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Future of Fish
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Momo Kochen
Organization Name 
The Nature Conservancy Belize
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Jane Salazar
Phone 
+5016110715
Organization Name 
National Fishermen's Producers Cooperative Society Ltd.
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Elmer Rodriguez
Organization Name 
Northern Fishermen Cooperative Society Ltd
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Bobby Usher
Phone 
+501 227-8039
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
12487

Overview

The fishery of the red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is one of the most important in terms of the scale resource in the Gulf of Mexico (GM) region, being the fifth species of fish with greater extraction in Campeche (González-de la Rosa, Sánchez and Arreguín-Sánchez, 1994; Government of the State of Campeche, 2015).

During the decade of the 70s, the annual catch of red snapper in this same region was represented in 93% by L. campechanus, without indications of reduction of the population stock (Anderson et al. 2015). During the 80s, González-de la Rosa et al. (1994), Monroy-García, Garduño-Andrade and Espinosa (2002), as well as, Monroy-García, Arceo and Ríos (2004) stated that the red snapper resource was under-exploited and the fishery growing in the north from Yucatan, showing an increase in annual catches from 1,800.0 to 4,500.0 tonnes.

In Mexico, there was a historical maximum in the catch of red snapper during 1993. In the period 1986-1996, 4,956.0 t of the average annual catch was recorded and from 2000 to 2015 a decrease of 39.0% was observed with 2,996.0 t annual average according to the CNP (2018).

Despite the commercial importance of this resource, there are currently no biomass studies in the region. Monroy García et al. (2002) estimated that this indicator decreased from 32,957.0 t in 1984 to 16,877.0 in 1999, which is 51.0%, indicating that this population does not show signs of recovery. They also calculated a maximum sustainable yield (RMS) of 1,271.0 t / year. Recording a capture of 3,083.0 t in 1992, and an average of 1,384.0 t in the period 1984-1999, which exceeds the CMS and therefore there is a strong decrease, reporting that landings in the Gulf of Mexico (GM) declined from 71.0 to 80.0% by 2013 (Anderson et al., 2015).

Currently, in the Mexican states, the use of this resource does not present specific regulations such as a fishing management plan, reproductive closures, quotas or minimum catch sizes, which has influenced the decline in populations and therefore the availability of this resource, considering that it is currently deteriorating in the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Campeche and Yucatan and at the level of maximum sustainable use in Tabasco (Anderson et al., 2015; CNP, 2018), the development of strategies for fishery management for this species, which involve the fisheries, government, academic and civil society organizations in order to establish standards for responsible fishing.

The fishery of the red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is one of the most important in terms of the scale resource in the Gulf of Mexico (GM) region, being the fifth species of fish with greater extraction in Campeche (González-de la Rosa, Sánchez and Arreguín-Sánchez, 1994; Government of the State of Campeche, 2015).

FIP at a Glance

View current status
November 01, 2019
32% 39% 29%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Mar 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2024

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C.
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Alesa Flores
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
12449

Overview

The EU surface longline fleet has been concentrating efforts on the implementation of national and regional strategies for the conservation of their target species including measures such as minimizing incidental catches, collaborating with the scientific community, and finning bans.

In 2014, an MSC pre-assessment was conducted for all swordfish and blue shark stocks, and in 2016, the fishery was close to meeting the MSC standard for north and south Atlantic swordfish. Focus on improvements for all the fleet operations moved towards promoting the creation of a FIP for all swordfish (Xiphias gladius ) and blue shark (Prionace glauca ) stocks for the North and South Atlantic Ocean, the Western and Central Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

The industry community recently created the ANECTEAM association to work together with the EU surface longline fleet. ANECTEAM is focused on getting visibility and recognition from the consumers, raising public and environmental NGO opinions about efforts to boost sustainability, encouraging distribution chains to purchase the fishery's products, and increasing recognition at the international level of a sustainable industry and fleet that is allowed to trade in fins and shark meat. This FIP represents 4 shipowners' associations (90 % catches EU fleet), 14 supply chain companies (80 % UE), and 160 fishing vessels (95% of EU fishing vessels in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans).

Due to their migratory nature and extensive distribution throughout several oceans, the management of swordfish and blue shark is carried out internationally by RFMOs (ICCAT, IOTC, IATTC, and WCPFC) through a system of catch totals (TAC)

Based on the MSC pre-assessment for the North and South Atlantic Spanish longline fishery in 2014 and a MSC full assessment in 2016 for swordfish, previously conducted, the scoring was updated in 2019 following the last MSC standard 2018; new scoring was also carried out for blue shark according to last ICCAT assessment for BSH conducted in 2015 -edited in 2017- and mako shark for Principe 2 in 2017 (see full information in the Scoping Doc). A number of Performance Indicators (Pis) were scored so that the fishery would fail under a full MSC assessment (SG <60) and required conditions for other PIs (SG 60-79). The general objective is to increase the PIs (scored <60 or 60-79) to SG>80.

The FIP Blues has been originally designed to be implemented in three oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian. The present FIP will start by implementing the actions in the Atlantic ocean since the full MSC Assesment was focused on these fisheries, both north and south stocks. At the same time, in the subsequent years after the beginning of the tasks for the Atlantic, we will develop the Work Plan Action for the other oceans´ swordfish and blue shark fisheries.

The EU surface longline fleet has been concentrating efforts on the implementation of national and regional strategies for the conservation of their target species including measures such as minimizing incidental catches, collaborating with the scientific community, and finning bans.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
October 01, 2019
7% 32% 61%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
May 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2024
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityEcosystemOther

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
ANECTEAM (Asociación Nacional de Empresas Comercializadoras y Transformadores de Especies Altamente Migratorias)
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Emilio Martínez
Phone 
+34 986 243 480
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
11890

Overview

The blue crab resource supports North Carolina’s second most valuable commercial fishery. Average North Carolina hard crab landings since 1994 are 40 million pounds with an average dockside value of $28 million annually (NCDMF 2013), consistently ranking North Carolina in the top four blue crab harvesting states in the US. Coastal Heritage Seafood is a commercial buyer and processor of North Carolina blue crab, accounting for approximately 15% of the fishery production each year. It is their interest to pursue a comprehensive FIP with the goal of MSC certification.

Measured against the MSC standard, the fishery in its current state scores well in two of three principles surrounding management and impacts on the surrounding environment/other species. The fishery boasts an excellent state management system that collects both fishery dependent and independent data, as well as a robust fishery management plan with a harvest strategy. The fishery also demonstrates an exceptionally clean catch, with 99% of the catch being hard shell crab. The remaining 1% of the catch include blue crabs known as soft shell, peelers, and non-target species includes at least ten different finfish species and occasionally a diamondback terrapin, a species of concern (and the primary driver behind Monterey Bay Seafood Watch red Avoid rating).

However, the MSC principle focusing on target stock status and harvest strategy is the current weak point of the fishery when measured against the MSC standard, as at the time of pre-assessment based on 2015 stock statistics, the stock appears to be depleted as both the adult and recruits have fallen below the state’s levels of 75% abundance and production since 2012The current state management protocol does not include traditional reference points for the determination of overfishing or being overfished, nor does it provide the opportunity to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a management action that may potentially improve stock abundance. Because there is no independent observer program for the NC blue crab pot fishery, there are no recent data that can be used to characterize catch composition, including documenting interactions with species of concern.

At present time, the North Carolina blue crab pot fishery does not meet MSC standards with respect to the abundance of the target species, and because of the lack of an analytical model for stock assessment, it is impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of management measures to rebuild the stock.

The NC DMF has completed, with effective peer review, an analytical model for stock assessment that will allow for the following: better understanding of blue crab population dynamics in NC waters, the development of reference points, the evaluation of current stock status and fishing mortality against those reference points, and the evaluation of potential stock rebuilding strategies, if needed. In addition, NC Division of Marine Fisheries is planning to develop and implement a harvest strategy in accordance with the new assessment model.

The fishery does not completely meet the MSC standards for commitment to the principles to and implementation of the precautionary approach (PA). Developed by the FAO (e.g., FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries) in 1995, the PA seeks to protect fishery resources from fishing practices which might put their long-term viability in jeopardy. As adopted in the MSC standard, the PA means being cautious when information is uncertain, unreliable or inadequate and that the absence of adequate scientific information shall not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take conservation and management measures. The pre-assessment identified that the North Carolina management system did not explicitly incorporate the elements of the PA into the fishery management policy. Upon review for this FIP, the FIP team determined that decision making for the blue crab fishery did not demonstrate evidence of using the PA.

The blue crab resource supports North Carolina’s second most valuable commercial fishery. Average North Carolina hard crab landings since 1994 are 40 million pounds with an average dockside value of $28 million annually (NCDMF 2013), consistently ranking North Carolina in the top four blue crab harvesting states in the US. Coastal Heritage Seafood is a commercial buyer and processor of North Carolina blue crab, accounting for approximately 15% of the fishery production each year. It is their interest to pursue a comprehensive FIP with the goal of MSC certification.

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Coastal Heritage Seafood
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Tara Carawan
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
8500

Overview

Target Species (1) Red Octopus (Octopus maya), in Spanish Pulpo maya o rojo and (2) Common Octopus (O. vulgaris), in Spanish Pulpo patón o común. Geographical Area - Province of Yucatan

Method of Capture : Red Octopus: Fishing drifting rod with lines containing bait, no hook, this method is known locally as gareteo, Common Octopus: Also employs a fishing rod with lines and bait, in this fishery a hook is used at the line and in Yucatan peninsula the pole and line fishing gear is also used.

Stock(s) - The Red Octopus is an endemic species from Mexico and is a member of the family Octopodidae. Its known distribution is from the waters adjacent to Isla del Carmen in Campeche to Isla Mujeres in Quintana Roo. One single stock is exploited based on genetic studies. The Common Octopus has a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical regions in the world. In particular, in Mexico, it is distributed throughout the Gulf of Mexico, it is found from the coastline up to 400 m deep, but it is more abundant below 100 m and its abundance decreases as depth increases. It is exploited in the Yucatan Peninsula and Veracruz. No genetic studies are available that could be used to establish a stock structure.

Fleet(s) Red Octopus: Small-scale and medium-scale fleets with octopus permits fishing and landing in the State of Yucatan, Mexico. Common Octopus: medium-scale fleets with octopus permits fishing and landing in the State of Yucatan, Mexico.
 

Target Species (1) Red Octopus (Octopus maya), in Spanish Pulpo maya o rojo and (2) Common Octopus (O. vulgaris), in Spanish Pulpo patón o común. Geographical Area - Province of Yucatan

Method of Capture : Red Octopus: Fishing drifting rod with lines containing bait, no hook, this method is known locally as gareteo, Common Octopus: Also employs a fishing rod with lines and bait, in this fishery a hook is used at the line and in Yucatan peninsula the pole and line fishing gear is also used.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
January 01, 2019
14% 36% 50%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Feb 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2023
Additional Impacts:
EcosystemRoundtableOther

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C.
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Lorena Rocha
Phone 
+52 622 222 49 90
Organization Name 
Independent
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Iván Pérez
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
10470

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