Can Mexico follow in Peru´s Footsteps & Preserve Their Sportfishing Industry?

For fish farms to be a viable alternative to NOM-029 Mexico must stop much of the commercial fishing that is currently destroying the Sea of Cortez and it´s vast number of inhabitants. Peru dealt with a similar threat to it´s sportfishing industry and ocean environs, and has now taken the necessary steps to sustain the industry and support efforts at ocean conservation.

In conjunction with The Billfish Foundation Peru recently issued a presidential order that decommercializes the harvest and sale of marlins and sailfish. For more infomation read the online article: TBF Assists a Nation's President Set a New Standard for Billfish Conservation.

Can Mexico follow suit? Stop commercial fishing of sought-after sushi plate succulents and provide the supply by sustainable fish farms instead?

Mexico could partner with Japan - the main purchasers of fish from the seas of Baja - and make it illegal for Japanese businesses to buy commercially-caught fish from the Sea of Cortez. Japan could assist in the development of fish farms to meet their demand for supply, in partnership with Mexico. Japan and Mexico are familiar business partners already - with joint-ownership of the Exportadora de Sal (ESSA saltworks) outside of Guerrero Negro by Mitsubishi and Mexican government.

Fish farms are not a problem-free solution, but a viable alternative to meet the demand for fish - demand that is not going to go away but is predicted to increase annually. At least fish farms could target the intended species for sale such as Bluefin Tuna, rather than destructive fishing practices that incidentally kill thousands of forms of sea life in great numbers in pursuit of it.

Peru is setting an example for all of the world, that Mexico and other countries should strive to imitate.

Molly, author of Viva La Baja! Relocation Guide to the Baja California Peninsula