MEXICO

Mexico, with a population of 122 million is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. The country is known for its Pacific and Gulf of Mexico beaches and its diverse landscape of mountains, deserts and jungles. Ancient

ruins such as Teotihuacan (Aztec), Chichen Itza (Mayan) and Spanish colonial-era towns are scattered throughout the country.

Infectious Mariachi music, sombreros and vitamin ‘T’ are also some of the great highlights. Vitamin ‘T’ includes Tacos, Tostados, Tamales, Taquitos, Tortas and Tortillas all washed down with Tequila.

Rather cheekily last year, Mexico offered some US based aquaculture businesses the opportunity to raise their fish south of the border where they promised regulaters had a more modern approach to offshore aquaculture than they could experience in their own country.

Mexico has recently become serious about aquacultureMexico has in the last few years become a serious aquaculture

country and there is a major effort by Mexican offshore fish farmers and government officials to make their country ‘the place’ for raising fish offshore in North America.

Aquaculture is supported in Mexico by the Federation through

the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) and CONAPESCA. The head of the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA), Mario Aguilar Sánchez has said on many occasions that boosting aquaculture provides “a great opportunity to contribute to the growth of the industry, with products having nutritional and protein quality available to Mexicans,” according to press reports.

Mexico has indeed gone further than most countries in the area of seafood consumption and understanding the need for promotion and marketing and this is assisting the drive/desire for aquaculture.

In 2012 the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) completed a survey and found that Mexican households spent monthly 34 percent of their income in food, out of which 8.5 percent was seafood, Of the 31.5 million households that were surveyed by, on average , only 24.4 percent said that their food basket are included seafood. The indications at that stage showed Mexican seafood consumption at around the 9kgs per person per annum.

Mexico has been mentioned as being in the top three countries in terms of obesity, and Coneval, the government’s social development agency, has advised that the poverty rate is approximately 46.2 percent of Mexico’s population, and equivalent to 55.3 million people. Coneval defines poverty as living on no more than 2,542 pesos ($157.70) a month in cities and 1,615 pesos in rural areas.

by Roy Palmer

POTENTIAL ABOUNDS

IN

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MEXICO Utilising the survey the Commissioner produced a paper

“Fisheries and aquaculture, and its impact on Mexico’s food security,” highlighting that in Mexico the fishing and aquaculture sectors contribute significantly to the development and welfare of large segments of the population, especially in rural and regional areas. At present, approximately 25 percent of Mexico’s population lives rurally.

Following meetings in 2013 and participating in a forum organised by the FAO , ‘Sustainable Food Systems - A comprehensive policy on food and nutrition’ the Commissioner said “Mexico is seeking to increase fish and shellfish consumption per capita in the next decade. The implementation by the Government of the new fisheries/aquaculture policy will enable Mexico to increase per capita consumption of seafood over the next decade.”

It has been well demonstrated that fish and shellfish are an important source of nutrients of animal protein and one of the pillars of the National Crusade Against Hunger, recognised by CONAPESCA. As a result of the policies and strategies for the development of aquaculture and fisheries in Mexico, from 2013 to 2018 there is an emphasis on the promotion of consumption of fishery and aquaculture products.

One of the other important strategies of the SAGARPA/CONAPESCA is the annual Foro Economico de Pesca y Acuacultura, which enables industry and government to engage, discuss and update. These events are usually held in November in Mexico City and at the last one, which was attended by over 1500

people we learned that consumption has increased to about 13kgs per person per annum.

Currently Mexico’s most important aquaculture activity is based in the north west of the country, is based on Shrimp and in 2015 was 110,000 tonnes. Cultivated shrimp now accounts for almost 70 percent of total national production; with the heart of this transition being the states of Sinaloa and Sonora. The industry with support of the government is fighting their way back from disease issues, which have had an impact in many other countries besides Mexico.

The impact of Early Mortality Syndrome on Mexican fishing

The disease, Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS), ensured that the production of farmed shrimp dropped sharply between 2012 and 2013, but is now in full recovery and expansion. EMS first appeared in 2009 in the southern part of China, and then spread to Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. SAGARPA reported that the disease shows up in the first 20 to 30 days of life of the shrimp, and especially affects tiger (Penaeus monodon) and white (Litopenaeus vannamei) shrimp. The disease adversely impacted thousands of producers, with shrimp mortality rates as high as 98 percent.

The strain of EMS found in Mexico is very similar (but not identical) to the Asian strain. It is unclear how it arrived in Mexico and whether or not it was transferred across the Pacific.

CONAPESCA’s figures highlight that Shrimp aquaculture

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has a value of more than all of the fisheries of Shrimp, Tuna and Sardines combined in Mexico. They also point out that the recovery has been mainly because of the process engaged in aquaculture. The ponds utilised are emptied and dried for a whole season, not because of any regulation but because the producers have initiated improved systems and methods. Additionally the producers have an excellent program aiming to select strains of Shrimp more for resistance rather than growth.

The largest potential for aquaculture expansion in Mexico is Tilapia

Dr. Antonio Garza de Yta, has been in the role of Director General de Planeación, Programación y Evaluación at CONAPESCA for the last two years and is very proud of Mexico’s activities in both fisheries and aquaculture.

“The largest potential for aquaculture expansion in Mexico is Tilapia in the South; Catfish in the North; Shrimp along all the coast especially using super intensive systems; Oysters in Tamaulipas and Baja California and Sea Cucumber in Baja California and Yucatan. There have been many local species evaluated for potential growth but no successful culture has been developed at this stage.” Stated Dr. Antonio Garza de Yta, adding that

“There is good interest in Yellowtail species and Totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi) which is listed on CITES, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is formerly endemic in the Gulf of California has some potential to be the ‘Mexican Salmon’ through aquaculture – fish growth has been measured at 9 grams per day. Within CONAPESCA our priorities at this stage are to continue to improve our management measures, zoning and policies for Aquaculture.” It would be true to say that Mexico has the potential to produce more than 2 million MTs per annum, however, in order to achieve that it needs a whole of government approach to recognise aquaculture as a priority and to include

items such as power tariffs, accessible electricity and other important infrastructure issues.

Over the past few years some US based aquaculture companies have decided to farm their fish offshore in Mexican waters. There are good examples in tuna ranching, sea bass, yellowtail, and hybrid striped bass which are now farmed in Mexican waters. What is clear is that Mexico’s government and private sector are working hand-in-hand to build an industry that can be an alternative but time will see if that continues as and when US offshore fish-farming gets off the drawing table.

Regal Springs: A 21st Century Aquaculture Business

Regal Springs’ is what might be termed a 21st century aquaculture business and has a solid background in both sustainable and social areas specialising in eco-balanced Tilapia. One of its newest operations is nestled in the lush, green hills of Chiapas, Mexico. The facilities consist of a hatchery, juvenile fry nursery, floating grow-out cages and a state of the art production facility. Lake Penitas, on which the tilapia are raised in floating cages, boasts pure, fresh water

surrounded by unspoiled natural beauty. Once grown, the fish are processed in a cutting edge production facility.

The facility is able to accommodate 40-50 metric tons of frozen storage capacity in addition to fresh processing and custom cutting. When fully operational, the production facility alone will employ 850 to 1000 local residents.

Regal Springs are noted for adding value to communities with whom they engage and they have stated that they are committed to supporting the Chiapas community, as they have done in Honduras and Indonesia. Regal Springs also have many projects in the pipe-line which include supporting the opening of a new school and pledging support for the Ocote Jungle Biosphere Reserve.

Framed by the Sierra de las Viente Casas (Twenty Houses of Sierra) mountain range, it has almost 50 thousand hectares and was created in 1982 for the preservation of the flora and fauna in the northern region of the state of Chiapas.

Mexico and the need for capacity and capability The Blue Economy and along with the recent and various Trade

Agreements are enormous prospects for Mexico and the need for capacity and capability building is crucial and is a major challenge. Food Safety and Workplace Health and Safety are essential elements amongst the main education needs. Without these important foundations attracting the right investors/investments will be difficult.

Like with all governments, there is a struggle with changing from the typical evolution of departments of fisheries to employ more aquaculture experts who have a broader training than just capture fisheries but also in aquaculture, in conservation, and in changing ecosystems. There is need for a new paradigm of the roles.

Dr. Garza de Yta is confident that Mexico is on the right pathway but says “There is still much work to be done but the future for Mexico and Aquaculture is very promising.”

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