Overview
The clam fishery (red, white and chocolate) in Puerto Libertad, Sonora, is quite new, and given that, none of its banks have been overexploited. This was one of the main reasons to start working with this fishery - bringing in good practices at the beginning stages which can lead to long-term sustainability.
During the development of this project, clams were identified as an alternative to reduce fishing pressure to resources that have been used for years in the region. After four years of design and management for the use of these resources, the first permits of red clam (Megapitaria aurantiaca) and chocolate clam (Megapitaria squalida) were obtained in the state of Sonora.
These permits include different fishing management tools (closures, sizes, quotas and refuge areas), as well as the commitment to work together for population monitoring, life cycle studies and sustainable harvesting of clams, achieving a more economically and socially robust management. This led to the idea of implementing a fishing improvement project that could bring the fishery access to better markets, where producers could receive more benefits and the give the marine ecosystem's condition a chance to improve.
The clam fishery (red, white and chocolate) in Puerto Libertad, Sonora, is quite new, and given that, none of its banks have been overexploited.
FIP general objective: By 2022, fishermen from Puerto Libertad Sonora are implementing a demonstrative model of sustainable fishing. The FIP also aims to achieve the following:
- Generate information on the fishery of clam about stock status and its situation to make it sustainable.
- Generate progress in the 28 indicators, maintaining those that are "green".
- Identify the cost-benefit baseline of stakeholders and access to markets with sustainability criteria.
- Encourage improvement in the application of standards and monitoring.
- Implement a traceability program for the clam fishery, in order to increase the responsibility and transparency of the producers.
- To make the fishery known as a sustainable fishing model for other fisheries.
FIP at a Glance
21% | 32% | 46% |
21% | 32% | 46% |
- Complete
- Incomplete