A nivel mundial las áreas marinas protegidas (AMP) son usadas como herramientas para proteger ecosistemas. Existe un debate sobre si las áreas marinas deben ser usadas para proteger e incrementar la biodiversidad ó como una herramienta de manejo pesquero, ó bien con ambos propósitos. Los estudios científicos contribuyen para demostrar los efectos de estas áreas sobre las zonas de pesca. El Alto Golfo de California (AGC) es una región pesquera altamente explotada por los pescadores artesanales de tres comunidades: San Felipe en Baja California, El Golfo de Santa Clara y Puerto Peñasco en Sonora, encontrándose dos áreas marinas protegidas. Se evalúa si con esta herramienta de manejo se ha beneficiado a los pescadores de esta región, como las áreas de la pesca artesanal para tener un diagnóstico de las AMP. La pesca artesanal aumenta conforme se incrementa el número de embarcaciones, pero no así la captura por unidad de esfuerzo que es de ~10 ton embarcación-1 año-1. A través de un sistema de información geográfica realizado ex profeso se identificó que el 62% de la pesca se realiza en dos áreas marinas protegidas del AGC y la captura genera aproximadamente US$ 5,897 millones al año, con una tasa de retorno de ~68%. Aunque el esfuerzo pesquero ha aumentado, los márgenes de ganancia se han mantenido. La explotación pesquera en las AMP deben tener un seguimiento interdisciplinario y complejo debido a la presencia de especies en peligro de extinción en la región, en la que se debe fomentar prácticas de manejo apropiadas con la finalidad de conservar el medio marino sin comprometer los intereses individuales de los pescadores.

We analysed fisheries trends in the northern region of the Gulf of California, within the Biosphere Reserve of the Upper Gulf of California and Colorado Delta River and the Vaquita Refuge Area, and suggest measures to protect the vaquita, Phocoena sinus. We compiled and analysed catch reports of artisanal fishermen in the three fishing communities of the Upper Gulf of California (San Felipe in the State of Baja California, and Golfo de Santa Clara and Puerto Peñasco in the State of Sonora) from 1995 to 2007. This information was categorised with respect to geographic information systems, and all fishing sites within two marine protected areas in the region were identified. In addition, from a survey based on direct interviews with artisanal fishermen in each of the three ports, we identified that 23% of fishermen will continue fishing despite on-going fishing buy-out programmes in the region. We suggest several specific courses of action to decrease the fishing impact on this critically endangered cetacean. However, given the critical situation of this critically endangered species, it is very uncertain whether enforcing a no-take zone within the biosphere reserve and the Vaquita Refuge Area, or even a wider fishing moratorium, will be enough to save this endangered species from extinction.

Bigeye Croaker (Micropogonias megalops Gilbert 1890) is captured in the Upper Gulf of California (UGC) by local community fishers from San Felipe in Baja California, El Golfo de Santa Clara and Puerto Peñasco in Sonora. The calculated sustainable fishery index (SFI) identifies four production periods, one of low capture before 1999 (∼1451.49 t year⁻¹); a second of fleet expansion (∼2408 t year⁻¹); a third showing a production decline related to overfishing (> 923.85 t year⁻¹); and a fourth of recovery, with standardization of production of about 1057 t year⁻¹ (2004). A GIS survey indicated that almost 84% of the Bigeye Croaker fishery in the UGC occurs within two marine protected areas, of which almost 74% takes place inside the Biosphere Reserve of the UGC, and almost 79% in the Vaquita Refuge Area. Bigeye Croaker captured in the marine protected areas generates a gross profit of around US$501,000 year⁻¹, with a return rate close to 73%. Fishing effort in the marine protected areas needs to undergo an interdisciplinary and complex evaluation due to the presence of endangered species in the region. This requires adequate management practices to enhance marine conservation without compromising fishermen's individual interests. Some approaches to manage this fishery within the protected marine areas are discussed.

Among the most typical feed ingredients for shrimp, plants represent a low-cost source in substituting for traditional high-cost feed ingredients. Extrusion is a common grains processing technique to make plant nutrients available and more digestible to animal. Different levels (15, 30, 45, and 60%) of extruded low-quality chickpea meal were included in a formulated diet for the juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei cultured in a closed system for 75 days. The growth of shrimp fed with the tested diets was similar to the control group (P > 0.05). We concluded that the use of extruded cull chickpea meal is a potential food alternative to replace fishmeal effectively in diets for L. vannamei .

In order to generate proposals to strengthen environmental governance, this article studies social participation in the management of the Flora and Fauna Protection Area of the Gulf of California Islands. Based on direct observation and semi-structured interviews, the perception of public officials, specialists and users with respect to this process was analyzed in the framework of a qualitative inquiry; generating as results twenty-nine interviews with stakeholders. The main limitation for this study is the open refusal of users of this protected area to be interviewed due to the mistrust they have of public entities. The collection of experiences and perceptions of direct actors in the management of the mentioned area gives originality to this article. It is concluded that Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas lacks credibility before the social organization as a result of a vertical instrumentation of its strategies without effectively considering the participation of the affected communities.

This study quantifies the possible effects on mangrove forests from activities associated with shrimp farms operating in a shrimp farming development pole in northwestern Mexico. Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used, specifically ERDAS Imagine 10 and ArcGIS. Satellite image classification consisted of a statistical method by which, through a sampling of pixels, the rest of the pixels of the image were grouped into categories or classes. Two classification methods were used: supervised and unsupervised. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was computed using remote sensing data to monitor patterns of vegetation change. Results indicated a 1.8% increase in mangrove area and a 5.8% increase in mean NDVI values for the years considered (2013-2020). The results of this study are the first to show evidence that shrimp farming is not responsible for mangrove deforestation and that, by considering the original area of this plant community, its development, and health are not necessarily compromised by the presence of shrimp farms.