State indicators

State of Mexico’s offshore fisheries

One prerequisite for the formulation and implementation of policies and mechanisms aimed to regulating fisheries is the knowledge of the resources state. Some of the most widely used methods for fisheries monitoring are based on the analysis of total catch and yield data (FAO, 2009). The fishery’s yield is defined as the catch obtained by means of a standard fishing effort (Semarnat, 2003). Theindicator Relative yields of Mexican offshore fisheries indirectly reflects the state of the major Mexican fisheries. A value above 100% for this indicator suggests that the resource can develop further, whereas a lower value may indicate a declining fishery. Fish yield, expressed in its various alternate forms, is an important component of the set of evaluation indicators used internationally (e. g., by FAO and OECD) to measure the performance, volume and size of the world's fisheries. In this report only marine catches have been included in this indicator, given the small size of the inland catch, which has not exceeded 4% of the country’s total catch since 1991.

The indicator Sustainability of fishery resources is estimated from the relationship between the exploitation of a given resource and its capacity for biological renewal (modulated by environmental conditions and a vision of intergenerational equity), and provides a measure of the country’s fisheries situation. Sustainable use is one that respects the functional integrity and carrying capacity of the ecosystems to which the resources belong. This involves ensuring that the amounts extracted do not exceed the maximum sustainable yield (SAGARPA, 2000b; DOF, 2004, 2006).