Fisheries and Biodiversity in the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico

Abstract

The Upper Gulf of California (UGC) has been recognized by its high primary productivity and abundant fishing (Aragon-Noriega & Calderon-Aguilera, 2000). Sediments and nutrients from the Colorado River, and complex hydrodynamics render this as an Important site for spawning, mating and nursing for numerous species of commercial and ecological importance (Cudney & Turk, 1998; Ramirez-Rojo & Aragón-Noriega 2006). Temperature, salinity and abundance of nutrients in this region vary depending on fresh water runoff from the Colorado River (Alvarez-Borrego et al., 1975; Hernández-Ayón et al., 1993; Lavín & Sánchez, 1999). Commercial fishing of high market value resources such as shrimp takes place in the UGC by artisanal or small scale, and industrial fishing. Artisanal fishing is done on relatively small (30 feet) fiber glass boats or artisanal boats with outboard motors, usually operated by two fishers; their primary fishing gear is drift gillnets, which they use to catch croakers, Spanish mackerel and even shrimp. This type of fishing is carried out by cooperatives and individual fishers from the three ports of the UGC: Puerto Peñasco and El Golfo de Santa Clara, in the State of Sonora, and San Felipe, in Baja California. Because marine resources in the region are migratory, fisheries are seasonal generating bursts of accumulated fishing effort over a few months depending on availability of species (see Cudney & Turk 1998). Increasing demand of economically important species has motivated a steady rise in fishing effort and use of gear and fishing practices jeopardizing critical species such as totoaba, Totoaba macdonaldi, an endemic croaker declared under risk of extinction (Cisneros-Mata et al., 1995), and the rare vaquita, Phocoena sinus. Vaquita are accidentally caught in all kinds of gillnets used in the Upper Gulf (D’Agrosa et al., 1995; Blanco 2002).