The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) released the findings of its TAKING STOCK evaluation on the transparency of marine fisheries management information in Mexico. Developed in collaboration with Causa Natura, the evaluation examines the level of information that Mexican national authorities publish on government websites about the marine fishing sector, in accordance with the requirements of the FiTI Standard - the only internationally recognized reference framework that defines what fisheries management information should be published online by governments. Overall, this evaluation shows that Mexican authorities provide substantial information about the country's marine fishing sector and that there is a genuine interest in sharing important information with the public: information on 18 of the 37 transparency elements (48%) is publicly available on government websites, although the information is of varying quality. However, beyond simply researching what is published and what is not published online, the evaluation also considered the quality of the information published, especially if it is freely accessible, if it is up to date and if it is easy for citizens to find. These are all important factors that must be considered to support the public's understanding of the current state of the sector. In this regard, transparency in the marine fishing sector in Mexico can be summarized as follows:
• Of the 18 transparency elements for which information is published by Mexican authorities, almost three-quarters (72%) fully meet the requirements of the FiTI Standard.
• In addition, 56% of these items found online are considered easy for an ordinary citizen to find.
• Fishery information published by Mexico's national authorities is usually up to date (61%).
• In the case of 15 transparency elements (41%), no information is published online, despite the fact that national authorities have such information. This includes important aspects, such as payments made for small and large scale fishing vessels, information on labor standards, transshipments and disembarkations at foreign ports, or information on foreign-flagged vessels fishing in Mexican waters.
Nicolás Rovegno, the Regional Coordinator for Latin America of the International Secretariat of FiTI indicated that “The launch of this evaluation represents a valuable contribution to the Mexican marine fishing sector. It highlights the many positive aspects of information that exists in the public domain, but it also emphasizes opportunities for improvement to ensure that information can be easily found and to stimulate national debates on fisheries management. ”
He also noted that “this is the first evaluation of TAKING STOCK in Mexico, but the objective is to develop a series of evaluations in the region in countries such as Ecuador, the United States, Chile, Panama and Costa Rica.”
For her part, Ana Harumi Hayashida, public policy coordinator for Causa Natura in Mexico, said that “The evaluation of TAKING STOCK represents a first diagnosis of how transparency is being managed in Mexico. Our country has been making several efforts in the area of transparency and this has been reflected in the results. However, there are still aspects to improve. Therefore, it is important that the results and recommendations are taken as a baseline from which the government, together with FiTI and stakeholders, can generate reforms to continue improving transparency in the fishing sector.”
The results of the TAKING STOCK evaluation of Mexico are published in a Summarized Evaluation Report (in English and Spanish), as well as in a Detailed Evaluation Report (in Spanish). The evaluation of Mexico was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and carried out under the supervision and responsibility of the International Secretariat of the FiTI.
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative that strengthens transparency and collaboration in marine fisheries management. By making fisheries management more transparent and inclusive, FiTI promotes informed public debates on fisheries policies and supports the sector's long-term contribution, to national economies, to the well-being of citizens and to companies that depend on a healthy marine environment.
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