Developing a Community-Based Data Collection System in Data-Limited Small-Scale Fisheries in Sonora and Sinaloa

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries in Latin America are essential for food and economic security, but sustainability challenges are difficult to manage due to data limitations. Pesca.Blue is a Mexican fisheries collective that aims to address these issues by connecting conservation-minded artisanal fishers to premium domestic markets, recognizing them for their voluntary contributions to marine science and responsible fishing practices. To advance the quality of Pesca.Blue’s voluntary data collection system, this research project developed a fisher-based data collection method in Sonora and Sinaloa, established a baseline of catch and bycatch per unit effort across seven gear categories, identified challenges in the method, and explored a sourcing strategy for Pesca.Blue. Overall results indicated that gillnets had the highest levels of bycatch, while divers had the lowest. Key challenges included variation in data accuracy among fishers and structural barriers to sourcing, as many fishers are committed to selling to intermediaries. It is recommended that Pesca.Blue conduct CPUE analyses with the data collected, protect data privacy and create a standardized training protocol to improve accuracy, and expand sourcing beyond gillnet fisheries to include low-bycatch fisheries.