Rapid vulnerability assessment of Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) fisheries facing climate change in Mexico

Abstract

The Pacific sardine fishery is the most important in terms of catch volume in Mexico. Due to their trophic position, small pelagic fishes respond rapidly and abruptly to ocean climate variability at interannual (ENSO) and decadal time scales (PDO), which is why their response to climate change is expected. The present study applied the Rapid Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) designed for Natural Protected Areas to the context of sardine fishery in northwestern Mexico, expecting that the vulnerability of the fishery to climate change will be the same in the two main fishing areas. The results demonstrate that the RVA is a useful and lissome method, integrating all stakeholders knowledge, including the academic perspective, and serves as an adaptive strategic planning tool upon climate change. Also, because of its dynamics, it was shown to promote co management practices due to the collaborative consensus reached. The sardine fishery from the Gulf of California was considered as the most vulnerable to climate change due to the potential exchange of tropical species of lower commercial value; while environmental changes are expected to favor such fishery in the Pacific along Baja California peninsula. We recommend working on adaptation measures to lower the risk presented by overfishing, and address efforts towards the certification of the fishery in the Pacific region.