Shark fishermen in Baja, Mexico are saving sharks by bringing sporties out to catch big fish like Tuna, Dorado and Wahoo. In the Sea of Cortez, more than fifty species of shark and ray can be found. And that is the problem. People have been "finding" too many for too long. The locals see that the population and size of sharks being caught is down, way down. So they are doing something about it.
With the help of a non-profit based in California and La Paz, called IEMANYA (www.iemanya.org), Mexican shark fishermen are switching over to sport fishing. Who better to take you out on your next fishing trip than a local whose family has been fishing in the area for generations? IEMANYA has been collecting donations of boating and fishing equipment to help the shark fishermen convert their pangas into well equipped fishing boats that can comfortably take out up three "gringos."
Salvador Lucero, better known as "Chavo," a shark fisherman from a small community at Punta Arenas de la Ventana, was the first to make the jump. He takes visiting Americans out fishing near Cerralvo Island. Maybe a twenty-minute boat ride and you are in Yellowfin heaven. Chavo knows all the spots, where to find Roosterfish, Dorado, even Blue and Black Marlin.
"With the increasing number of Americans visiting Mexico there is a growing need to provide services, and sport fishing is one of the most popular. The idea is to eventually have these fishermen, who currently survive off small-scale commercial shark and ray fishing, run their own sport-fishing operations," said Jorge Gonzalez. Jorge is a marine biologist from IEMANYA, working with the fishermen in several communities in the southern part of the Baja peninsula. "These local fishermen know the sea around here better than anybody, they practically live in it," said Jorge. "What we are doing is helping them with business training, English classes and marketing to help them make the move away from shark fishing to a more sustainable type of fishing. We encourage sport fishing with it's clearly stated regulations as well as catch and release fishing."
Sharks are very susceptible to over fishing because they grow very slowly, reproduce late in life and have very few young. Some sharks and rays have gestation periods longer than humans and still have only one or two babies. Over fishing of sharks can lead to immediate problems in the ocean. When we lose the top predators, like sharks, we lose balance. With nothing to control their populations, animals such as squid and sea lions reproduce in great numbers and consume a tremendous amount of fish. The Sea of Cortez, also known as the aquarium of the world, is witness to some of these problems.
If you are planning fishing trip why not consider one that will help put the ocean back in balance. Support these fishermen as they make the conversion to sport fishing captains and guides. Book your trip with Marlin Adventures at 52 612 125 7842 or marlinadventures@gmail.com and ask for Chavo to be your captain. He'll hook you up with the best fishing, fill your cooler and not drain your wallet.
If you would like to sponsor the transition of fishing families to more sustainable activities, call IEMANYA at +1(310) 801-9478 in the USA or +52-612-123 5425 in Mexico. Please also visit the IEMANYA website at www.iemanya.org to learn more about the important shark conservation work this nonprofit organization leads.
