Incorrect information and political interests at a time of health crisis affecting fishermen

According to the General Law on Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, in order to carry out commercial fishing activities in Mexico, Conapesca must issue a permit that regulates this activity, with the exception of fishing for domestic purposes (as long as it is carried out by residents on the banks and on the coasts). However, on April 28, 2020, during the health emergency caused by Covid-19, the Solidarity City Council in Quintana Roo published on its website a “social statement” in support of the municipality's fishing sector in which Mayor Laura Beristáin Navarrete manages obtaining permits for self-consumption for the benefit of local fishermen with the aim of providing for their homes.

https://gobiernodesolidaridad.gob.mx/brindan-permisos-de-pesca-temporales-en-favor-de-las-familias-solidarenses-laura-beristain.

This “support” was distributed through the “Solidarity Fishing” program through the State Secretariat of Economic Development and Tourism, Conapesca and Port Authority, to grant temporary permits during the health emergency for the capture of scale species such as barracuda, sierra, horse mackerel and gold, among others. This action attracts our attention because in the fishing law there is no permit for self-consumption, because for fishing that is for domestic consumption, a permit is not needed. In addition, in the extreme case, (not provided for by law) that it was in response to an extraordinary situation such as a pandemic, the one who should grant these permissions is Conapesca and not a local authority. Because it is the use of natural resources, it is a federal matter, as established in article 27 of our constitution.

Faced with this situation and in order to learn more about this program, a series of requests for information were made. The first one was addressed to Conapesca to inform how it distributed the delivery of self-consumption permits, and if so to know if there is any collaboration agreement with the authorities of the State of Quintana Roo and/or the municipality of Solidaridad, and at the same time it will inform what were the elements of the Solidarity Fishing Program and the list of beneficiaries. Conapesca mentioned that they have not carried out any “Solidarity Fishing” program to grant permits to carry out fishing for self-consumption because it is not necessary to have one, nor have they signed a collaboration agreement with the State of Quintana Roo or the municipality of Solidaridad. Once the request made to Conapesca was answered, the same question was asked to the Secretariat of Agricultural, Rural and Fisheries Development of the State of Quintana Roo, who answered that because it is a federal jurisdiction, the body responsible for issuing such permits is Conapesca, in addition to not having concluded any agreement with it. Finally, the same request was made to the municipality of Solidaridad, to which the Secretariat of Economic Development, Tourism and Municipal Investment Attraction responded. The answer was that it has not granted permissions because it is not the right to do so and that it has not concluded any agreement. However, he mentions that he has taken steps before the federal authorities and for this purpose, identification cards were delivered to the fishing sector, so that fishermen can access the beaches and can identify themselves with the competent authorities.

Perhaps this identification allowed fishermen to go fishing on the beaches of Solidaridad to avoid setbacks with the different authorities responsible for complying with the lockdown as a preventive measure during the pandemic. This would be of great help not to hinder the fishing activity of dozens of fishermen in search of food for their families or a minimum income to survive.

However, the publication was carried out as a kind of government propaganda using incorrect or not totally true information, since no permits were granted to fishermen. This is regrettable in times of pandemic and severe economic crisis, since Quintana Roan society is made to believe that a local government in the municipality of Solidaridad has succeeded in issuing fishing permits for self-consumption, when this was not the case.