Management Suggestions Based on a Data-Poor Stock Assessment Method to Avoid an Artisanal Fishery Collapse in Mexico

Abstract

Fishing is a beneficial activity for populations settled near bodies of water. It can be split into industrial and artisanal fishing; the latter is more important from global, cultural, economic, and social points of view. Mugilids are of great commercial interest for artisanal fisheries due to their wide distribution and diverse uses; in Mexico, this resource stands out because it ranks fourth in the specific composition of catches and has shown a growing trend in yields in recent years (2008-2020). Therefore, an evaluation of the stock and behavior of the fisheries were undertaken in support of resource sustainability. We suggest that an active regulation measure be taken along with already existing passive measures. The exploitable biomass was estimated at 12,040 t, BMSY=11,424 t, and MSY=2,900 t. The resource is in decline with a tendency to overexploitation, and it could collapse if no action is taken. Therefore, we propose incorporating a temporal ban and an annual catch quota of 2,900 t to the current regulation, as well as using the methods and parameterization in this study for future evaluations.