Common Name
Ocean Whitefish
Scientific Name
Caulolatilus princeps
Mexico is the world's leading producer of Ocean whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps) with 94% of national landings coming from the state of Baja California Sur. However, there are no species-specific management measures for this fishery. The only current management tool is finfish fishing permits that specify the number of boats and gear that can be used per permit holder.
The Buzos y Pescadores de la Baja California SCL fishing cooperative located on Isla Natividad, Baja California Sur has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability through the establishment of marine reserves in collaboration with Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A. C. (COBI), MSC certification of its fishery for lobster, and a restoration program for abalone in collaboration with state government and academia. In recent years, they have shown increased interest in developing fisheries for more sustainable fish, such as ocean whitefish.
A relatively new fishery, the ocean whitefish target fishery began in 2011 as an economical alternative to high-value benthic fisheries that have declined in recent years. The cooperatives' initial production of 3.7 T in 2011 increased to 13.4 T in 2016 and is expected to increase further as demand grows. As a result, the cooperative approached SmartFish in 2017 and expressed interest in undertaking a fishery improvement project. The FIP is exclusive to vessels belonging to the Buzos y Pescadores cooperative that fish with hand lines and traps.
En el invierno de 2017, Pronatura Noreste realizó una evaluación previa del Marine Stewardship Council de la pesquería de pescado blanco oceánico de Isla Natividad. Las principales preocupaciones identificadas por la evaluación preliminar fueron la falta de una evaluación formal del stock y una estrategia de gestión de la captura incidental. El estado del hábitat y los impactos en el ecosistema se identificaron como preocupaciones menores; sin embargo, es necesario evaluar el impacto potencial de las artes de pesca.
Además, SmartFish AC está trabajando para mejorar el acceso a mercados que valoran la sostenibilidad e implementan la trazabilidad digital.
| 11% | 18% | 71% |
| 96% |
| 11% |
| Behind | On Track | Complete | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44% | 44% | 11% | 0% |
| Behind | On Track | Complete | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43% | 43% | 14% | 0% |