MAY 18 , 2007
Hello friends,
This is a special, urgent eBlast where we're asking you to help stop an absolute tragedy from happening in the waters off Baja.
Below is the copy of an eNewsletter from The Billfish Foundation (TBF) who has been working diligently to stop a government bill in Mexico that allows commercial longline vessels to fish only 15 miles off the Baja coastline under the guise of shark permits. Since longlines are a indiscriminate method of fishing, the result of these permits will be catastrophic to the other gamefish in the area including marlin, dorado and sailfish.
The bill is called NOM-029 (The Shark Norma), and as you will see below, The Billfish Foundation has provided you with email addresses for many Mexican Government officials that MUST be contacted as soon as possible, by EVERYONE who doesn’t want our great fishery in Los Cabos to be destroyed.
Please read on, forward this email to everyone you can, and support TBF's efforts in this area any way you can.
Thank you in advance for doing your part by writing to the people responsible for making and reversing these decisions!
All the best,
Wayne and the entire Bisbee's Team
Bisbee's Black & Blue Tournaments are presented by Snell Real Estate who exclusively represents the finest and most sought after properties in Los Cabos including Palmilla Properties, Oasis Palmilla, Villas Del Mar, Cabo Del Sol and Punta Ballena.
 Shark and Ray Fishing Regulations Threaten Billfish & Other Ocean Resources
May 18, 2007—Despite strong opposition from The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and scores of partners in Mexico, Mexican officials approved Regulation NOM -029 (Shark Norma). This regulation, promoted as a way to stop the over-exploitation of sharks and rays, was rejected by Mexico’s last two Presidents, but strongly supported by commercial fishing interests in Ensenada, Sinaloa, Sonora, Mexican Fisheries (CONAPESCA) and some Mexican and United States Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
The people of Baja California Sur, TBF and other NGOs believe that NOM-029 is a deeply flawed regulation, which will have devastating overfishing consequences for billfish, sharks and rays even though a finning prohibition is included for sharks and rays. Healthy and abundant ocean resources are very important to the eco-tourism based economy in the Cabo and adjacent region, thus heightening the conservation ethic among many individuals and businesses working with TBF. At the same time commercial longline fishing interests have long lobbied for the regulations liberalized permitting requirements, opening the flood gates to thousands of vessels. Hidden potential threats to further reduce marine resources in and around Baja California Sur are throughout the approved regulation.
TBF, along with other groups, will fight to rescind these bad rules. TBF President Ellen Peel stated: “ We are working with our friends in Mexico to look for legal ammunition against the Norma-29, we are looking towards federal legislation to overrule this threat to ocean resources and we are continuing to network with conservation-minded Mexican friends ands supporters to overturn this foolish set of regulations.” Good conservation pays, irresponsible management is short sighted and causes everyone to lose.
If you fish in waters off Cabo and the Sea of Cortez or you support responsible management in those waters, let your voice be heard. Send your comments to:
Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, Presidente de Mexico, felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx
Cesar Nava, Secretario Particular, cesar.nava.vazquez@presidencia.gob.mx
Alberto Cardenas, Secretario Sagarpa, alberto.cardenas@sagarpa.gob.mx
Ramon Corral, Comisionado Nacional de Acuacultura y Pesca, rcorrala@conapesca.sagarpa.gob.mx
Saniago Creel Miranda, Coordinador del GPPAN, santiago.creel@pan.senado.gob.mx
Manlio Fabio Vbeltrones, Coordinador del PRI, beltrones@senado.gob.mx
Arturo Escobar, Senador PVEM, aescobar@senado.gob.mx
Luis Coppola Joffroy, Senador PAN, luis.coppola@pan.senado.gob.mx
Jorge Alfonso Ituurbide Gurerra, Tecnico Secretaria Partiular Presidencia, aiturbide@presidencia.gob.mx
Click here for the full story and contact information.
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