In an effort to promote sustainable fisheries and marine ecosystem conservation in the Upper Gulf of California, Pronatura Noroeste, in collaboration with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), organized a series of community workshops focused on dialogue between fishermen from San Felipe, Baja California, and the Gulf of Santa Clara, Sonora.
Focused exclusively on fisheries sustainability in the Upper Gulf of California, community workshops were held on August 20 and 21 in San Felipe, Baja California, and on August 22 and 23 in the Gulf of Santa Clara, Sonora, bringing together more than 160 fishermen. At these meetings, the fishermen served as discussion leaders, sharing their in-depth knowledge of traditional and alternative fishing practices, such as shrimp trawls, shrimp trawls, suripera nets, escamera nets, traps and hook lines. This exchange of knowledge made it possible to identify obstacles and generate proposals for solutions to improve the efficiency and sustainability of fishing activities in the region in line with the needs and lifestyles of the community.
“At Pronatura Noroeste we firmly believe in the quality and value of fishery products, as much as the lifestyles of the coastal communities of the Upper Gulf of California,” commented Valeria Towns, Director of Conservation at Pronatura Noroeste.
On August 29 and 30, in Mexicali, Baja California, an interdisciplinary workshop was held, which brought together fishermen and community spokespersons with international experts and experts from various Mexican institutions. Representatives from CONANP, CONAPESCA, SEMARNAT, SEMAR, Secretaría de Marina, and other entities such as scientists and fishing technicians participated in this space for reflection. The workshop allowed for the integration of scientific and technical knowledge and the knowledge of the communities, in a joint effort to find solutions that harmonize the needs of fishermen with environmental conservation.
Pronatura Noroeste, together with the other institutions involved, reaffirms its commitment to the development of strategies that ensure the long-term viability of fisheries in the Upper Gulf of California, a crucial ecosystem for marine biodiversity. These initiatives demonstrate that collaboration between community, science and government is key to the sustainability of marine resources and the well-being of local communities.
Learn more about the effort dedicated to sustainable fisheries in Northwest Mexico!
