Mexico Isla Natividad ocean whitefish - trap/handline

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Overview

Mexico is the world's leading producer of Ocean whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps) with 94% of national landings coming from the state of Baja California Sur. However, there are no species-specific management measures for this fishery. The only current management tool is finfish fishing permits that specify the number of boats and gear that can be used per permit holder.

The Buzos y Pescadores de la Baja California SCL fishing cooperative located on Isla Natividad, Baja California Sur has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability through the establishment of marine reserves in collaboration with Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A. C. (COBI), MSC certification of its fishery for lobster, and a restoration program for abalone in collaboration with state government and academia. In recent years, they have shown increased interest in developing fisheries for more sustainable fish, such as ocean whitefish.

A relatively new fishery, the ocean whitefish target fishery began in 2011 as an economical alternative to high-value benthic fisheries that have declined in recent years. The cooperatives' initial production of 3.7 T in 2011 increased to 13.4 T in 2016 and is expected to increase further as demand grows. As a result, the cooperative approached SmartFish in 2017 and expressed interest in undertaking a fishery improvement project. The FIP is exclusive to vessels belonging to the Buzos y Pescadores cooperative that fish with hand lines and traps.

En el invierno de 2017, Pronatura Noreste realizó una evaluación previa del Marine Stewardship Council de la pesquería de pescado blanco oceánico de Isla Natividad. Las principales preocupaciones identificadas por la evaluación preliminar fueron la falta de una evaluación formal del stock y una estrategia de gestión de la captura incidental. El estado del hábitat y los impactos en el ecosistema se identificaron como preocupaciones menores; sin embargo, es necesario evaluar el impacto potencial de las artes de pesca.

Además, SmartFish AC está trabajando para mejorar el acceso a mercados que valoran la sostenibilidad e implementan la trazabilidad digital.

FIP Description 

Mexico is the world's leading producer of Ocean whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps) with 94% of national landings coming from the state of Baja California Sur.

FIP Objective(s) 
  • Generate basic fishing information and implement a monitoring program in the period from August 2021 to August 2025
  • Investigate potential ecosystem impacts and interactions with other fisheries by 2022
  • Develop and implement species-specific management for ocean whitefish by 2025
  • Design a decision-making process in the fishery by 2025
  • Increase the supply of sustainable seafood that the cooperative can offer to markets interested in sustainability by 2025
  • Promote sustainable finfish fisheries in Mexico by 2025
FIP Type 
Basic
FIP Stage 
Stage 4: Improvements in Fishing Practices or Fishery Management
Start and Projected End Dates
June 2018
August 2025
Update 
The projected end date of the project changed from December 2021 to August 2025. This is because the first work plan that this FIP was developing ended (December 2021). The fishing cooperative decided to continue with the improvements and developed a new work plan that ends in August 2025.
Last Progress Report Reviewed 
Monday, March 14, 2022
Next Progress Report Due 
Sunday, July 31, 2022
Species 
Common Name 
Ocean Whitefish
Scientific Name
Caulolatilus princeps
Gear Type 
Handline
Pot/Trap
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 77 (Pacific, Eastern Central)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
Mexico
Geographic Scope 
Isla Natividad, Baja California Sur
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
20 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
20 metric tons
Landings Date 
December 2020
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FIP at a Glance

21% 11% 68%
June 01, 2018
25% 14% 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
C Some Recent 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.
Jul 2022
Target End Date
Aug 2025

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
SCPP Buzos y Pescadores de la Baja California SCL
Organization Type 
Other
Primary Contact 
Rodolfo Castillo
Email 
buzosbyp@hotmail.com
Phone 
+52 1 646 1779304
Website Name 
Buzos y Pescadores de la Baja California
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.
8506