Mexico Northern Gulf of California swimming crab - pot/trap

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Overview

The swimming crab (Callinectes bellicosus) fishery is one of the most important in the northern region of Sonora, the capture is carried out mainly with Chesapeake-type traps by the small-scale fleet. However, in recent years a downward trend has been detected in the availability of crab and a group of fishermen concerned about this situation have looked for alternatives to improve the performance of the fishery. As a result, in April 2019 the fishery improvement project (FIP) of the swimming crab fishery from the Puerto Peñasco to Puerto Lobos Corridor in Sonora Mexico was registered in Fishery Progress. To carry out the registration of this FIP, the crab fishery was evaluated by means of a rapid assessment based on the criteria of the Marine Stewarship Council, under these terms the general performance of the fishery was analyzed and a work plan was developed.

During 2019 to 2023, opportunities for improvement have been detected in the work plan and in the possibility of analyzing the fishery for possible certification in the mid-term, it was therefore decided to evaluate the fishery again under a recent version of the MSC standard. The new environmental workplan represents the effort of the members of the basic swimming Crab FIP to review performance and direct actions towards improving fisheries sustainability specifically in the Bahia San Jorge region in the Northern Gulf of California, Mexico.

FIP Description 

The swimming crab (Callinectes bellicosus) fishery is one of the most important in the northern region of Sonora, the capture is carried out mainly with Chesapeake-type traps by the small-scale fleet.

FIP Objective(s) 
  • To have the best information available for the management of the fishery under precautionary principles that allows the evaluation of indicators related to the population stock and to have a regional response mechanism to the results of the stock assessment by October, 2028.
  • To estimate the swimming crab mortality due to incidental fishing of the industrial shrimp trawling fleet by October, 2027.
  • To promote the operation of fishing refuge zones as a means of supporting the stock by October, 2026.
  • To evaluate the population status of secondary species by April, 2027.
  • To design a management strategy for secondary species and their inclusion in the swimming crab fishery management plan by October, 2028.
FIP Type 
Basic
FIP Stage 
Stage 5: Improvements on the Water
Start and Projected End Dates
April 2019
October 2028
Update 
We kindly request the extension of the projected date to direct the efforts of FIP participants towards sustainability following a new workplan.
Next Progress Report Due 
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
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.
Apr 2025
Target End Date
Oct 2028
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 
nelida@cedo.org
Phone 
+51 638 382 0113
Website Name 
Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO)
Organization Name 
Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO)
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Rene David Loaiza Villanueva
Email 
rene@cedo.org
Phone 
+51 638 382 0113
Website Name 
Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO)
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