Mexico North Pacific barred sand bass - pot/trap

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Overview

A barred sand bass FIP is being implemented in the Mexican North Pacific with the main objective of achieving a sustainable fishery. This fishery covers around 150 km of western coastline on the central Baja California peninsula and a portion of the fishing zone is inside of the Reserva de la Biósfera El Vizcaíno Natural Protected Area. The barred sand bass fishery is the third most important fishery in Baja California Sur State and in 2016, the total catch was worth approximately USD $1.2 million.

The main needs of this fishery involve 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, so in 2023 this FIP changed from basic to comprehensive.

FIP Description 

A barred sand bass FIP is being implemented in the Mexican North Pacific with the main objective of achieving a sustainable fishery.

FIP Objective(s) 

The general objective of this FIP is to improve aspects of the fishery in order to initiate the full MSC evaluation process in 2026 to obtain certification.

By the project's target end date, the FIP hopes to achieve the following:

  • To improve the performance of the barred sand bass fishery moving towards sustainability, that means to have all PIs above or equal to SG60 and an Overall BMT Index at least 0.8 by December 2026
  • To protect biomass and recruitment while optimizing yield at sustainable levels, having a Harvest Strategy in place with HCR, Information and Monitoring efficient system and periodically Assessment of stock status by December 2025
  • To improve the regulatory framework and its application for a better fishery management, through the publication and implementation of the Barred Sand Bass fishery management plan by December 2026
  • To promote capacity building through the organization, training and linkage between cooperatives, organizations and institutions, through the establishment of a consultative committee for the Barred Sand Bass fishery by December 2025
  • To strengthen good fish processing practices within the productive chain, seeking market tools and incentives such as certification of vessels for good practices, fair trade business model, buyers committed to sustainable fishing by December 2026
FIP Type 
Comprehensive
FIP Stage 
Stage 4: Improvements in Fishing Practices or Fishery Management
Start and Projected End Dates
January 2018
December 2027
Next Progress Report Due 
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Species 
Common Name 
Barred Sand Bass
Scientific Name
Paralabrax nebulifer
Gear Type 
Pot/Trap
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 77 (Pacific, Eastern Central)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
Mexico
Geographic Scope 
Baja California Sur, Mexican North Pacific
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
940 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
3,200 metric tons
Landings Date 
December 2023
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
January 01, 2018
11% 25% 64%
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
A Advanced 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.
May 2025
Target End Date
Dec 2027
Additional Impacts:
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FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Pronatura Noroeste A.C.
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Laura Ibarra
Email 
libarra@pronatura-noroeste.org
Phone 
+526461753461 ext. 110
Website Name 
Pronatura Noroeste
Organization Name 
FEDECOOP
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Mario Ramade
Email 
fedecoopbc@prodigy.net.mx
Phone 
+526461761591
Website Name 
FEDECOOP
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.
8040