Abstract

JIMENEZ ESQUIVEL, Victoria; LOPEZ-SAGASTEGUI, Catalina; COTA NIETO, Juan José  and  MASCARENAS OSORIO, Ismael. Northwest Coastal Communities in Mexico Doing Science. Relac. Estud. hist. soc. [online]. 2018, vol.39, n.153, pp.129-165. ISSN 2448-7554.  https://doi.org/10.24901/rehs.v39i153.393.

The most significant fishing activity in Mexico is small-scale or artisanal, but the current situation of those fisheries reveals an urgent need to implement participatory fishing management approaches. In this vein, the Gulf of California Marine Program (GCMP) created the Citizen Science Program (CSP), a mechanism designed to integrate the knowledge and experience of fishermen with that of scientists to better understand the status of the main commercial fisheries. It incorporates tools that bring together a multidisciplinary group to conduct participatory research as a key part of a process that uses technology and seeks to build trust within the team. This program can enhance our ability to understand the interaction between people and marine resources. Since 2009, the fishing communities of San Felipe in Baja California, El Golfo de Santa Clara in Sonora, and Punta Abreojos, Puerto Adolfo López Mateos, Puerto San Carlos and Puerto Chale in Baja California Sur have been integrated into the CSP and examined the spatial and temporal interactions between artisanal fisheries and natural resources. We now have an extensive fishing database and the capacity to analyze fishing dynamics on a regional scale and by community. The CSP has a positive impact on conservation goals, and this methodology is proving to be invaluable for research and sustainable community growth. The information generated is objective and has been incorporated into decision-making processes in communities. Finally, authorities have expressed interest in implementing alternative management options that fit users’ needs.

Keywords : citizen science; Gulf of California; coastal fishing communities; small-scale fisheries; trackers.