Mexico Puerto Peñasco & Puerto Lobos swimming crab - pot/trap

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Overview

The blue swimming crab (Callinectes bellicosus) fishery from the Puerto Peñasco – Puerto Lobos coastal corridor (Sonora, Mexico; 399 boats and 207 official fishing permits) produces on average 1.2 thousand tons/year, with metallic mesh Chesapeake traps (typically 90 traps/boat).

In its present condition and according to the Marine Stewardship Council Standard, 48 percent of the performance indicators for the fishery are “GREEN” (stock rebuilding capacity; information and monitoring for management; stock assessment; ETP species; habitat information and management; ecosystem information and outcome; legal framework; and consultation, roles and responsibilities). 36 percent of its indicators are “YELLOW” because: i) stock assessment should yet recognize extractions from illegal fishing effort (as big as the legal effort at the present) and mortality induced by industrial shrimp trawling; ii) fisheries ordination opportunities and fisheries refuges must be operative for reducing present mortality levels by 10 percent; iii) the management plan must recognize stock reference points; iv) responsible fishing operations and low bycatch rates must be endorsed by onboard observers; vi) impacts of biomass removals of snail, sand bass and triggerfish as bycatch of the swimming crab fishery must be dimensioned; vii) ghost fishing related to lost and abandoned crab traps must be assessed and eliminated. 16 percent of the fishery indicators are “RED” because: i) the fishery management plan lacks management objectives, population reference points, action plan, as well as agreed evaluation mechanisms and decision-making processes; ii) surveillance programs deterring poaching are missing.

During the first year, CEDO will implement a technical work plan for improving the commercial fishing operations of S.C.P.P. Ejidal Bahía San Jorge. CEDO and the Rillito Park Heirloom Farmers Market will collaborate prospecting and addressing additional funding for the FIP development. The core group will communicate and promote improvements to the official management plan among INAPESCA, CONAPESCA, and other local and regional organized fishers.

The technical work plan consists of: i) the operation of a season-round (2019-2020) and community-based fishery monitoring program; ii) the operation of onboard and land-based swimming crab fishery bycatch monitoring programs; iii) the undertaking of catch efficiency and selectivity trials with different baits; iv) the mitigation of ghost fishing by derelict swimming crab traps; v) the undertaking of cost-benefit assessments for the use of degradable clips in the construction of swimming crab traps; vi) the design and implementation of a wastes management and re-use plan for the swimming crab fishery; vii) the undertaking of biologic monitoring and detailed physical characterization of potential fishery refuges and viii) the continuous promotion of the FIP among INAPESCA, CONAPESCA and other local and regional organized fishers. Catch traceability options for the fishery will be additionally prospected. This work plan aims for the improvement of all 13 fishery performance indicators scored as yellow and red and implies the direct investment of USD $44,571 during the first year.

FIP Description 

The blue swimming crab (Callinectes bellicosus) fishery from the Puerto Peñasco – Puerto Lobos coastal corridor (Sonora, Mexico; 399 boats and 207 official fishing permits) produces on average 1.2 thousand tons/year, with metallic mesh Ch

FIP Objective(s) 
  • Generate updated information useful for improving recent and local swimming crab stock assessments by October 2024.
  • Update the bycatch characterization of the local swimming crab fishery by October 2024.
  • Assess catch efficiency and selectivity with different baits (season-round and endorsed and validated by the national fisheries authority) by October 2024.
  • Dimension and characterize ghost fishing caused by derelict swimming crab traps and other fishing gears at the main fishing areas by October 2024.
  • Assess advantages (constructions costs, catch efficiency, bycatch rates and operative easiness) of using degradable clips in the construction of swimming crab traps by April 2023 (Completed).
  • Dimension and characterize the generation of solid and liquid wastes by the fishery by March 2021 (Completed).
  • Monitor (according to a specific National Official Standard) the effectiveness of fishery refuges for the restoration of local stocks, by October 2024.
  • Analyze and interpret a five-year series of ecosystem health indicator species data and achieve a sixth year of data by October 2024.
  • Promote the utility of the FIP among fisheries authorities and other local and regional organized fishers and trigger the improvement of the fishery management plan by October 2024.
FIP Type 
Basic
FIP Stage 
Stage 5: Improvements on the Water
Start and Projected End Dates
April 2019
October 2025
Update 
We kindly request the extension of the projected date to ensure that the FIP objectives are achieved
Next Progress Report Due 
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Species 
Common Name 
Cortez Swimming Crab
Scientific Name
Callinectes bellicosus
Gear Type 
Pot/Trap
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 77 (Pacific, Eastern Central)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
Mexico
Geographic Scope 
Northern Gulf of California
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
158 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
1,200 metric tons
Landings Date 
April 2023
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
April 01, 2019
11% 36% 43% 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

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.
Oct 2024
Target End Date
Oct 2025
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityOther

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO)
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Nelida Barajas
Email 
Phone 
+51 638 382 0113
Organization Name 
Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO)
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Rene David Loaiza Villanueva
Email 
Phone 
+51 638 382 0113
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.
10491