United States assesses Puerto Peñasco shrimp boats

                                   Vessels come through clear

Ecology inspectors from the United States recently evaluated 13 shrimp boats from Puerto Peñasco in order to verify the use of fish excluding devices. They found no anomalies during the assessment, which was considered normal by the state authority for the fishing sector. Through this verification, it was fully demonstrated that shrimp fleet in the states has a program to guarantee the protection of sea turtles and prevent their accidental capture, reported Daniel Hiram Villarreal Guadiana, Deputy Director for the Secretary of Agriculture, Ranching, Rural Development, Fishing and feed for Mexico (SAGARPA).

Villarreal Guadiana stressed the audit of shrimp fishing operations in the Northern region of the country has shown there is compliance with regulations.

“These verifications form an important part in strengthening the commercial relationship of the country with the U.S.market, which is one countries where Sonoran shrimp is exported,” he mentioned.

The review was done by experts of these devices from the U.S. State Department, in a coordinated manner with staff from Profepa and Conapesca, in which they verified the drag nets of thirteen vessels in Puerto Peñasco and did a maritime inspection tour, with no anomalies registered.

The Sub-Secretary of fishing for SAGARPA, Prisciliano Melendez Barrios, remarked that the verification is usual and is done annually.

This is not a condition that is put on the Sonoran fishing sector on behalf of the U.S government, yet it grants certification to the bay as an exporter of this product to the U.S.

Melendez Barrios explained, “It is a totally ordinary practice that goes back many years and objective of which is the ecology and care for marine species. Each year a review is done of the shrimp boats and the excluding devices for sea turtles; this is nothing new at all, it has been going on for many years to assure that turtles are not captured.”

The U.S. inspection consisted in assuring each boat has a duly placed excluding device, so that turtles may escape as necessary.

“Once the review is done and certification obtained, the U.S. is able to buy shrimp from Mexico from its distinct bays. This is not a condition, but a type of certification they do with the objective of assuring responsible ecological awareness,” he added.

The SAGARPA Sub-Secretary noted that review the exclusion devices for sea turtles.