MEXICO BANS LONGLINES INSIDE 50 MILES!!

[David Brackmann]

The Billfish Foundation
conservation thorough research education and advocacy

PRESS RELEASE

TBF Partnership Proves Productive With Year End Success in Mexico

Ft Lauderdale, Fl -- Mexico will prohibit all drift gillnets, prohibit the use of longlines on vessels greater than 27’ within 50 miles of the coast, refuse to license any factory vessels applying to fish in national waters, and eliminate dual permits previously used to allow shark longliners to catch and retain billfish, dorado and other gamefish bycatch within the 50 mile conservation zones. This news was the proclamation of Ramon Corrall, the new Commissioner of CONAPESCA, Mexico’s national fisheries agency, made in La Paz and Cabo San Lucas following last week’s series of private and public meetings with TBF’s fishery scientist, Dr. Russell Nelson, and Guillermo Alvarez of La Fundación para la Conservación de los Picudos (FCP), TBF’s Mexican conservation partner.

“Ramon Corrall and his newly appointed science advisor Dr. Martin Bottello demonstrated a commitment to conservation and an understanding of the economic value of sportfishing tourism that had been missing under his predecessor,� said Nelson. TBF is hopeful his promises signal a real change in Mexican fisheries management. Corrall was also very receptive to: including recreational fishing representatives on Mexico’s delegation to international fisheries management organizations, implementing the use of VMS on commercial vessels, and finalizing a new and much improved shark management plan.

"Our work together with TBF appears to have made a positive impression on the new fisheries administration and we are cautiously optimistic the declarations by Ramon Corral will mark the beginning of a new and positive relationship between the billfishing community and CONAPESCA,� said Guillermo Alvarez of FCP.

Eliminating drift gillnets and further restricting the use of longlines in Mexican waters should have a strong positive impact on the resources available off Mag Bay, Baja California, and the Sea of Cortez. The proposed regulations would eliminate the loophole used by longliners and drift gillnetters to fish within the 50 mile conservation zones under swordfish or shark permits. This loophole has led to recent increases in commercial fishing activity in and around Mag Bay.

Another TBF partner, the University of Miami’s Center for Sustainable Fisheries, sent its new Chairman Gary Thomas to observe firsthand how the coordinated efforts of TBF, FCP and other Mexican conservation organizations have opened the doors for improvement in fisheries management in that country. TBF is pleased with its partnership with the University and hopes the Center can further augment collaborative efforts.

TBF is the leading sportfishing conservation organization fighting to advance the conservation of billfish worldwide through research, education and advocacy. Our international partnerships bring about positive change for the fish and fishing.

Dave


P.S. - This is great news!!! I only hope that that Mexico follows through with this AND ENFORCES the prohibition of the gear inside 50 miles. Without Mexican Navy patrols and seizures of illegal long line / drift net operations not much will change to protect the shrinking fish stocks in Mexico.

[Marko]

Sorry Dave but thats they said is not true or is true only on papers .... here in Manzanillo, the damn longliners attach one end to the lighthouse and a buoy to the other x( x( x( .... last Sunday i saw about 20 long lines, the nearest about 1/2 mile from shore

[Mikey Mike]

That's good news. Give the sportfishermen an area to fish. Sounds like they really need it.

Does 50 miles include, Hurricane Banks, Cooperstown or Alijos Rocks. Those are the areas I read the reports of monster YFT? Man I hope they can find a way to preserve that fishery.

Mikey

[David Brackmann]

This is in the works of being done...which is great news. Drift nets will be banned from shore to 200 miles - all waters...longline from 50 miles out on boats greater than 27'. Yes, we still have to deal with small panga longline operations...the worst are the live bait longliners targeting sails, dorado...anything that will eat a live bait inside 50 miles...but at least this may bring an end to the large scale longline boats that are currently wiping out the billfish and sharks along Baja and the mainland inside of 50 miles. With lots of persuasion from environmental groups, hotel and sportfishing tourism operators and others, Mexico's fisheries officials hopefully will prohibit all longline gear of all kinds inside of 50 miles...maybe even 100 miles....with a miracle..200 miles.

And to think that here in California we still allow drift gill nets?? Maybe one day we can follow Mexico's lead in banning drift nets too.

Bravo Mexico! Back it up with enforcement and stand behind protecting your valuable resource. Your on the right track now.

Dave

[PacoSaca]

[font color=navy blue]Dave, perhaps you can get the email addresses of Ramon Corrall, Commissioner of CONAPESCA and Guillermo Alvarez of La Fundación para la Conservación de los Picudos(FCP) for Marko so he and his fishing buddies can take pictures of the reality and send to them.

http://www.webspawner.com/users/pacosaca/signa04.gif
[font color=white].....[font color=navy blue] Paco Saca[font size=1]
[font color=white].......[font color=navy blue]Life's Short, Fish hard...

[David Brackmann]

Excellent idea!

Guilermo Alvarez would be best reached through the Mexican Billfish Fund = billfishfund@yahoo.com. I am sure that they could use the photos and any inforamtion that you can provide. The more the better. It is also helpful that when you have pictures, especially those with marlin or sails or other sportfish being caught on longline gear or drift net gear to forward them to the various sportfishing Magazines with some info on what you are observing. Pictures can have big impacts on people to influence them to write letters and voice disapproval which can lead to governments listening to public outcry and changing policy to protect a resource. The more loud angry voices we have, the greater the chance we will be heard and the faster proper actions will be taken.

Dave
;)

[Marko]

I will post here the pictures i will take, thats for sure !!! ... and I will sending to Guillermo Alvarez from FCP too.

The past law, prohibits ALL longline vessels fishig within the 50 miles .... now they prohibit this for boats bigger than 27´ only .... that is the same that AGREED the panga (20-25´) to rape within the 50 miles !!! ... Now, I understand why i saw more longlines than normal.

WHY specify the boats´s size ???, they know perfectly the main longline fleet size is under ´27.

My government are stupid and/or corrupted !!!! .... why my stupid and/or corrupted government don’t invest in some low credits to the need and real working fishermen to BUILT bigger vessels so they can go out more than 50 miles with relative safe instead to permit they rape on small pangas near shore ???????

… is clear, because the target is the sail fish and dorado, so they don’t need to go so far

How much $ has been invest the owners of the long lines pangas in this new law ??? ...

I SURE MR. RAMON CORRAL FROM CONAPESCA KNOW THE EXACT A$WER$