The IUCN/SSC Shark Specialist Group
Shark News 9: June 1997
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Mexico/Guatemala:
A Collaboration in Shark Fisheries
Fernando Márquez, National Fisheries Institute, Mexico
Professional advice and a training programme to monitor the shark
fishery on Guatemala's Pacific coast was provided in November 1996
as part of the technical and scientific cooperation framework between
Mexico and Guatemala. The project was developed by request of the
Government of Guatemala through the Dirección General de Servicios
Pecuarios (DIGESEPE) and Dirección Téchnica de Pesca (DITEPESCA),
because of the growth of the shark fishery in this area of the Pacific.
Advisory services were provided by the Programma Tiburón (PT)
at the Instituto Nacional de la Pesca (INP), Mexico. Mexico's main
interest in participating in the programme arises from the fact that one
of the most important ports landing shark catches on the Mexican
Pacific coast is located in the state of Chiapas, and both countries are
therefore exploiting the same population. Because of the experience
gained at the PT in the evaluation of artisanal (low scale) fisheries,
their future management could be well coordinated. Training
programme activities included field sampling with emphasis on the
identification of species, observations of reproductive organs, and
recording maturity characteristics of specimens. For desk work, basic
methodologies were recommended to process and analyse information.
A database in the same format as that used by PT for artisanal fishery
research was installed at DITEPESCA. Thus, these databases will be
able to exchange compatible information.
Field sampling was carried out in San Jose, on the west coast of
Guatemala. This has a small-scale shark fishery; small wooden boats
and fibreglass 'pangas' with outboard motors. Bottom longlines are set
daily. Incidental catches are sail fish Istiophorus platypturus and
dolphin fish Coryphaena hippurus. Catches are made up of silky
Carcharhinus falciformis, punta Nasolamia velox, thresher Alopias
vulpinus and hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini. Shark by-products
are fully utilised; oil in the national market, skin salted and exported
to Guadalajara, Mexico, and the meat used for human consumption.
Most common problems
There is a lack of academic staff and of fishery officers studying shark
biology and fishery behaviour. Resources to purchase hardware,
software and field trips are scarce. Logistic support, including a
transportation unit, was provided by Programma Regional de Apoyo
al Desarrollo de la Pesca del Istmo Centramericano (PRADEPESCA),
financed by the European Union.
Proposals
A second phase of coordination was suggested in order to follow up
this first cooperation program, including data analysis. The Mexican
government, through the Mexican embassy, was requested to establish
guidelines to develop the second phase of the program. A joint
collaboration agreement was reached to present the results of sampling
the Guatemalan shark fishery at specialist international meetings.
This paper is intended to: 1) inform the scientific community
focused on shark fishery research and related associations about this
event, and 2) request your collaboration to send related literature to
our colleagues in the Republic of Guatemala, who are enthusiastically
initiating the long process of achieving the evaluation and management
of the shark fishery in their country.
For further information please contact: Fernando Márquez,
Programa Tiburón, Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, Pitágoras # C.P.
03310. Mexico, D.F. or Claudia Ruíz, Proyecto Tiburón, Depto. de
Investiogación, DEGESEPE, DITEPESCA, Km. 22, Carret. al Pacífico,
Rep. Guatemala, C.A.
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