FishSource

Mexico Gulf of California swimming crab - pot/trap/ring net (FIP)

Last Updated: 2023-02-23

Progress Rating: C

Evaluation Start Date: 2012-02-01

Type: Comprehensive

Status: Active

FIP Lead: Pesca Responsable y Comercio Justo (PRCJ), Ocean Technology, Inc. (OTI), Desarrollo Integral de Jaiba de Mexico SA de CV (DIJMSC), Direct Source Seafood (DSS), Alimentos del Mar de Norte America (AMNA)

Stock Profile Link
Cuata swimcrab - Sonora
Warrior swimcrab - Sinaloa
Warrior swimcrab - Sonora
Cuata swimcrab - Sinaloa

Comments:

The FIP's last stage 4 is between 12-24 months old with recent stage 3 progress reported within the past 6 months. FIP is C rated.

1. FIP Development	Oct 18	Fishery assessment or scoping document made public 29 October 2018 — Translation of the 2010 pre-assessment to MSC version 2.0 1 June 2017 — MSC pre-assessment available 24 August 2012 — National Commission for Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012 made public 7 February 2010 — MSC pre-assessment made public
2. FIP Launch	Jan 08	Confirmation of project participants 1 January 2008 — SFP and Ocean Technology join as FIP partners
2. FIP Launch	May 20	Workplan made public 30 May 2020 — 2020-2025 workplan made available 30 June 2017 — Workplan 2017-2020 made public 1 December 2012 — Detailed workplan made public
3. FIP Implementation	Jan 23	FIP activities undertaken 1 January 2023 — Biannual update to the Gulf of California and West Baja crab stocks assessment report made available 15 March 2022 — The article "Evaluation and estimation of reference points for the crab stocks (Callinectes spp.) from the Gulf of California, Mexico" was accepted for its publication in Volume 30 of Ciencia Pesquera; FIP is awaiting actual publication 11 October 2021 — Stock assessment submitted to INAPESCA's digital journal 'Ciencia Pesquera' 1 February 2021 — FIP completed the stock assessment for the Gulf of California and West Coast of Baja California crab; executive summary is available 15 August 2020 — Data collection protocol was updated and agreed upon at the meetings 15 August 2020 — A virtual meeting was held to organize the Mexican Crab task force 1 December 2011 — Fishery management plan developed
4. Improvements in Fishing Practices and Fishery Management	Feb 21	Verifiable improvement in policy/management and fishing practices 1 June 2023 — Increase to PI 1.2.4; Three-year audit conducted. A recently published study has examined how reference points for crab stocks have been evaluated and estimated. 1 June 2023 — Increase to PI 2.5.2; Three-year audit conducted. The existing combination of measures outlined in the NOM and Management plan, along with the productivity of swimming crabs, offer a degree of reassurance that crab harvesting will not hinder crab recruitment, thereby preserving the ecosystem's trophic structure. 1 June 2023 — Increase to PI 2.1.2 & 2.1.3; Three-year audit conducted. No primary species are caught within the fishery. 1 February 2021 — Stock assessment report published 23 July 2019 — Fisheries authority has developed an update to the fishery regulatory framework (NOM-039-PESC-2003) 1 April 2018 — Based upon producers initiative, a "crabmeter" was produced and distributed among the 2500 producers supplying the FIP participants in order to help them to verify minimum legal sizes of the landings 15 July 2014 — Fishery management plan published (2014) 1 March 2014 — Spatial Planning Program for the Sonora and Sinaloa Swimming Crab Fishery 1 May 2013 — Temporary fishery closure for the first time 1 December 2012 — Fishery management plan released
5. Improvements on the Water	—	Verifiable improvement on the water 1 June 2023 — Increase to PI 2.1.1; Three-year audit conducted. The available catch composition data indicates that the pot/traps are highly selective and have minimal impact on non-target species. 1 June 2023 — Increase to PI 1.1.1; Three-year audit conducted. A recently published study has examined how reference points for crab stocks have been evaluated and estimated. 1 June 2023 — Increase to PI 1.1.2; Three-year audit conducted. A recently published study has examined how reference points for crab stocks have been evaluated and estimated and based on the results, a rebuilding strategy may not be needed.
6. MSC certification (optional)	—	MSC certificate made public