Mexico Gulf of California Sinaloa chocolate clam and chirla clam - diving & hand gathered

In mid-2018, Environmental Defense Fund of Mexico (EDF) and Pronatura Noroeste (PNO) established a FIP for chocolate clams (Megapitaria squalida), in the Lagoon System of Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón, Sinaloa, Mexico. Since 2014, EDF and PNO, in coordination with the federal, state and municipal authorities, academia and fishing sector, have been developing a Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for this Lagoon System, which recommends gathering data on the state of the fishery's health with a focus on defining management tools that help improve the conditions of the bivalve resource. This FIP defines the actions that should be taken to make these improvements and can define better market conditions as well. On November 6, 2018, the FIP held its first workshop, in which 69 people participated, representing the different sectors that are involved with the fishery. A working group was created, whose task was to design a FIP work plan, with actions, specific tasks and responsibilities. The a Minute of Agreements with the working group was signed, which constituted the first step to ensure the commitment of the members of this group and their participation in the FIP.
In 2022, the chirla clam was incorporated into the FIP with the purpose of carrying out the improvements that are being made in the FIP to this species of environmental and economic importance, for which a new assensment and work plan was made.

The main needs of this fishery involves the development of an adequate harvest strategy and the design of harvest control tools that respond to the state of the resource, in addition to formalizing the decision-making processes. The stakeholders of this FIP are actively working towards the fulfillment of these objectives.