Cast Net

Mexico's Pacific Coast shrimp fishery is one of the country's most important fisheries. It is first in terms of the commercial value of the harvest from the industrial and small-scale fleets, and generates the most jobs directly and indirectly (approximately 37,000) (SAGARPA, 2013). Marismas Nacionales Biosphere Reserve (MNBR) located in the state of Nayarit is the largest (~130,000 hectares) and most productive coastal wetland in the Mexican Pacific and represents 15% of the country's mangrove coverage (SEMARNAT-CONANP 2013).

Approximately 20 small-scale cooperatives hold permits and/or concessions to fish in 15 different areas in MNBR. Fishing activities are the main source of food and livelihood for local communities. The most important commercial species is the whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), with an average annual production of approximately 3,538 tons, during the fishing season which runs from September through March (Chavez-Herrera et al., 2020). This FIP will begin with the participation of two of the larger cooperatives, but other cooperatives will be invited to join as the benefits from engaging in the FIP become evident. The participating cooperatives - SCPP Ignlogar, and SCPP Llano del Tigre - include over 440 members and land over 500 tons of whiteleg shrimp per season. Each of these cooperatives has a concession with multiple fishing areas where
they use two fishing gear types of fishing: cast nets and a trap style called "tapos", which are semi-fixed structures made with mangrove branches that enclose and concentrate shrimp and other species in a lagoon or estuary. Some of the cooperatives have repopulation and mangrove restoration areas, reflecting their commitment to improving their ecosystem. The two cooperatives have recorded significant decreases in their shrimp catch over the last three years and they recognize the need for better management and harvest practices.

Although the whiteleg shrimp fishery has a modified escapement strategy, seasonal closures and monitoring programs, the most recent data shows a decreasing trend in catch levels (INAPESCA, 2018; INAPESCA, 2019). This indicates a need to strengthen data collection and the harvest strategy or have additional management measures in place. Therefore, the FIP aims to generate more information on the fishery and the ecosystem, reduce environmental deterioration, and transition towards responsible shrimp fishing practices that add value to the product and provide more benefits to communities. Much of the shrimp harvested by the cooperatives is directed to the informal, dehydrated shrimp market which adds very little value to the harvest. As
part of the FIP activities, the cooperatives will receive support to transition to more formal market segments that value their fishery management efforts.

The Magdalena Bay shrimp FIP started in 2010 in collaboration with Tai Foong USA and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). The project leadership was transferred to Northern Chef in January 2014. 

The Pacific Ocean is the most productive fishing area in Mexico, providing approximately 75 percent of seafood catch by volume, and accounting for most of the country’s seafood exports by value. Shrimp in the northwest Pacific coast of Mexico is the most important fishery in Mexico. It has the highest economic value of landings, averaging $260 million. It is also the highest-ranked fishery in terms of the number of vessels (750 bottom trawlers and about 18,000 small-scale vessels) and the number of direct jobs (37,000 direct jobs as well as 75,000 indirect ones). It places third in terms of volume with annual captures of approximately 50,000 tons during the fishing season which begins in September and runs through March.

The Magdalena Bay shrimp fishery generates annual landings of 3 million pounds with a value of $15 million USD. Seventy percent of the total landings are brown shrimp and 30 percent are Pacific blue shrimp. The fishery operates with 27-foot-long vessels equipped with outboard motors. In the case of brown shrimp, the vessels are equipped with a 35-foot head rope bottom trawl. For blue shrimp, the gear utilized is the Suripera, a modified cast net. In both cases, the fishing unit is operated by two fishermen who conduct daily trips, usually nocturnal for brown shrimp and diurnal for blue shrimp.

The fishery is regulated by the Mexican Official Standard NOM-002-SAG/PESC-2013 which establishes access controls (fishing licenses and concessions) and fishing gear and fishing grounds restrictions. CONAPESCA opens and closes the fishing season according to the scientific advice provided by INAPESCA which has a continuing monitoring program on shrimp stocks. The most recent abundance estimates indicate that both stocks yields are above the historic averages which confirm the recovery trends.

In October 2017, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program published a new report and recommendations on Mexican wild shrimp, giving the fishery a Good Alternative recommendation. The new recommendations for blue shrimp (Litopenaeus stylirostris) can be found here and for the brown shrimp (Penaeus californiensis) can be found here.