Shortjaw leatherjacket (Oligoplites spp.; usually referring to Oligoplites refulgens) are found in Eastern Pacific from Baja California, Mexico to Ecuador. Also reported from Paita, Peru. Adults are found in littoral waters, tolerate low salinities and may temporarily penetrate estuarine waters. 

Sardines are the most important pelagic species exploited in the Gulf of California. This fishery consists of small epipelagic species: the Monterrey sardine (Sardinops sagax caerulea); the thread herring (Opisthonema libertate and 0. bulleri); the Japanese sardine (Etrumeus teres); mackerel (Scomber japonicus) ; the anchoveta (Cetengraulis mysticetus); the pineapple sardine (Oligoplites spp.); and the Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus spp.).

The small pelagic fishery in Mexico is a multispecific fishery where Oligoplites spp. constitutes a residual component in total catches (circa 0.5% between 2006 and 2013, SAGARPA 2006 and 2014). In mexico this species is part of a group of passively managed small pelagic resources since 2012, according with the Fisheries Management Plan for this group in the Gulf of California (SCS 2016, SAGARPA 2014). 

In 1981 many uncommon species began to be sold as part of the commercial catch. These species are normally found in the southern part of the area (Arvizu 1987).

Sardine fishing in the Gulf of California was initiated on a massive scale in 1971. Rapid development made it possible to capture 50,000 MT in 1976,263,000 MT in 1980, and 381,000 MT in 1982. At first it was intended that fishing should be directed in a large part toward canning, but the great tendency toward reduction to fish meal forced federal authorities to obligate fishermen to process a certain percentage of the catch for canning (Arvizu 1987).

In 1978 sardines were reduced to fish meal in 31 plants and canned in 13. In 1984 reduction occurred in 40 plants and canning in 14, an increase of almost 30% in reduction and 7% in canning. In the period 1984-86, distribution of this species on the western coast was from San Luis Gonzaga, Baja California, to Bahia Santa Ines, Baja California Sur, and on the eastern coast to El Datil river in Teacapan. Sizes varied from 71 to 245 mm, with a mean of 152.5 mm; this size class constituted 24% of the catch (Arvizu 1987).