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Fisheries Source

Whiteleg shrimp - Sinaloa Gulf of California Feed-small

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This profile last updated on 20th March 2013 (History) | Pdficon_small Download PDF | Cite this profile

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Overview

Strengths: There is a management plan for this fishery since 2004, calling for measures to improve sustainability and economic viability; but it has not been implemented, or evaluated as precautionary yet. Current biomass of this stock is thought to be declining to levels below the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) biomass target.

Weaknesses: A quota system is not in place yet. IUU fishing activities exist in the artisanal sector, although bycatch is assumed as low. High levels of bycatch, including of PET species, have been reported for the industrial sector.

Improvement Recommendations to Catchers and Regulators: Improve enforcement and encourage the use of fishing gear improvements to reduce bycatch and environmental damages. Restrict areas that are sensitive to bottom trawling.

Recommendations to Retailers and Supply Chain:
Support Mexican authorities on the new fishery standards and fishery management plan formalization.
Adopt third party auditable control documents to verify full observance of existing regulations

1. Management Quality ( see detailed section ) (top)

Stock Assessment last updated on 22nd March 2011

The National Fisheries Institute (Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, or INP) uses, as a first approach, a dynamic version of the Schafer model (1954) proposed by Hilborn and Walters (1992). The second option is an age-structured model with delay in the recruitment (EERR, Deriso 1980).

Scientific Advice last updated on 22nd March 2011

There are many fisheries scientists collaborating with INP. Headquartered in Mexico City, INP is the Mexican government’s primary scientific and technological advisor on fisheries development and assessment. There is a lack of environmental experts participating. Currently a group of scientists are working on an ecosystem-based management model for the fishery.

Managers’ Decisions last updated on 27th April 2011

Frequently, management decisions are taken based on the scientific advice, but in response to social pressures trying to satisfy to both sectors industrial and small scale (artisanal).

Seasonal and spatial bans are established. Control on the fishing effort, vessels and gears. There are continuous evaluations on the stock reproduction and recruitment.

Compliance last updated on 22nd March 2011

There are no catch limits in place for this fishery. The industrial fishing sector has good compliance in terms of season opening and closing. Mandatory use of VMS has improved compliance with restricted areas. There are some illegal fishing practices, like closing or removing TEDs, installing covers on the bags and fishing in restricted areas. In the artisanal fishing sector, illegal fishing and usage of illegal fishing gears is occurring.

2. Stock Status ( see detailed section ) (top)

Reference Points last updated on 22nd March 2011

Long term TRP (Target Reference Point) is to reach the biomass that produces the MSY (BMSY). Reference points (e.g. Blrp, Ftrp) not yet estimated or available for this fishery.

Current Status last updated on 27th April 2011

According to the latest available data, current biomass of this stock is thought to be declining to levels below the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) biomass target (BMSY).

Trends last updated on 27th April 2011

Fishing mortality levels are not available, thus the trends for the stock cannot be drawn. However, this stock is thought of being exploited over MSY, thus with a trend to drop below BMSY levels. IUU fishing activities are also occurring in the artisanal sector and may affect the long term sustainability of the stock at some degree.

Recovery Plans last updated on 22nd March 2011

There are no recovery plans known for this fishery, other that the 2006 management plan, calling for measures to improve sustainability and economic viability of the shrimp fishery.

3. Environment and Biodiversity ( see detailed section ) (top)

PET Species last updated on 27th April 2011

The Gulf of California is home for more than thirty species of marine mammals, at least five species of sea turtles and hundreds of seabirds species (WWF, 2011). Currently there are reports of bycatch of more than 100 species in the industrial sector of this shrimp fishery, including PET species. In particular, pacific seahorse (Hippocampus ingens, IUCN: “Vulnerable”) is known to be affected.

Other Target and Bycatch Species last updated on 22nd March 2011

In this fishery, bycatch levels are regarded as high in the industrial sector, and include more than 100 species of both fish and invertebrates. In the artisanal sector, bycatch levels are regarded as low and there are no reports of captures of PET species. However, illegal fishing and usage of illegal gears is occurring, thus bycatch estimates are probably underestimated.

Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) are mandatory in Mexico’s commercial shrimp fishery since 1995 (García-Caudillo et al., 2000). There are specifications established regarding minimum mesh size and maximum engine capacity for for the artisanal fishery (small vessels). Measures to combat usage of illegal fishing gears are also taking place, but the overall effectiveness is unknown.

Habitat last updated on 22nd March 2011

It is estimated that shrimp trawlers sweep 27 million hectares of the seafloor per year; there are 37.5 million hectares in the Gulf of California. Bottom trawling is known to negatively impact the seafloor, both by altering the physical structure of the substrate and by causing great damage on the benthic communities. Wells et al. (2008) studied the effect of shrimp trawling on fish and invertebrate communities on the Gulf of California and found differences in communities between trawled and non-trawled areas, suggesting a negative impact of trawling on this benthic ecosystem.

Marine Reserves last updated on 22nd March 2011

Seasonal and spatial closures are used and defined based on the average size of individual shrimp, in order to optimize the catch of market-size shrimp. Two marine protected areas have been created in the Gulf of California with the main objective of protecting the endangered cetacean “Vaquita”: 1993, Upper Gulf of California and Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve; 2005, Vaquita Refuge Area (SEMARNAT, 2008).