Oaxaca has a fishing history that is summarized in shrimp, scale and shark. The latter caught mainly by coastal fishermen in municipalities such as Puerto Ángel and Mazunte, where fishing policy has faced outdated management since 2013 and with unreliable records.
One of the main problems, explains biologist Israel Moreno Barrientos, is the lack of personnel and mechanisms to monitor what is being fished. “It's very difficult to have official government observers at each of the sites where sharks are extracted,” he says.
As a result, much of the data is based on the records of the fishermen themselves. A practice vulnerable to inadvertent omissions or errors. This creates a major problem in the information that serves the design of the fishery and, consequently, the conservation of the species.
Where are the sharks?
Unlike other fisheries, poaching during shark closures, from May 1 to July 31, is not as alarming as you might think, Moreno says. The researcher completed the thesis “State of the shark fishery on the central Oaxacan coast” and in his conversations with fishermen he learned of informal agreements with authorities, driven by economic need.
“There is a percentage of fishermen who, when the ban comes, go to work in the fields or construction, but many remain in the fishing business. So, since they didn't diversify, it did affect them economically. Some reached agreements to catch, not sharks, but marlin or sailfish in a by-catch where they can also catch sharks,” explains the biologist.
In addition, although there is a certain focus on coastal fishing, deep-sea boats are often ignored, which are the ones that actually catch most of the shark because of their autonomy to operate for weeks at sea. “More weight is given to artisanal fishing as if it were the main problem, but it's not so much,” Moreno points out.
There are 17 endangered shark species on the IUCN Red List. Photo: Conapesca.
The silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) is currently one of the main species in commercial permits in Oaxaca. But there are also other types of shark that are caught not because they are deliberately sought, but because they are faced with a fishing gear that is not selective.
“The longline catches everything, both shark and other pelagic fish such as marlin and sailfish. It is not selective. This is what we call bycatch. You're going to catch everything, even if your permission is only for that (a species), you're going to catch everything for the art of fishing,” says the researcher.
Added to this are practices such as presenting the number of shark bodies with their respective fins, but not stipulating that both must match in size. “What happens is that they carry small dog bodies, for example, and combine them with large fins to make better use of space in the cargo,” Moreno reports. This regulatory ambiguity indirectly promotes flapping, an illegal practice that consists of cutting off a shark's fins and returning the body to the sea.
Tourism to conserve
Relations between the scientific and fishing sectors have not been easy in Oaxaca. “A lot of fishermen think that you come as a biologist just to prohibit them from fishing,” Moreno says.
However, recent projects promoted by civil organizations have begun to change that dynamic, mainly on the path of ecological tourism.
“Cabo Pulmo, in Baja California Sur, took 20 years, but the sharks have returned. There are also beaches filled with lemon sharks... Also in La Paz, swimming with whale sharks has been regulated, which is also leaving a significant economic spill”, exemplifies the researcher.
Areas such as Mazunte or Puerto Ángel have the potential to replicate that model, even with marine sightings, he insists.
Another proposal is to increase the value of sharks sold in Mexico. Although the consumption of shark meat is not common and is usually hidden under the name of “cazón”, value-added products, in oil or sauces, could be promoted, taking advantage of local cuisine. “That would increase profits without having to fish more,” he says.
Finally, it recognizes that shark conservation in Oaxaca will not be solved by prohibitions or regulations alone. “It's not just a matter for fishermen. It's a problem of organization, budget and government priorities.”
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