Mexico Finally Bans Fishing Of Threatened Atlantic Sharks – Forbes

Mexico’s New Shark Protections: A Step Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14

Introduction

In October, the government of Mexico announced new national regulations prohibiting the capture, retention, and trade of five groups of threatened Atlantic shark species. This action represents a significant, albeit delayed, step towards aligning with international conservation agreements and contributes directly to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

Background: Bycatch, Non-Compliance, and Marine Ecosystem Health

The Ecological Impact of Unregulated Bycatch

For years, Mexico has been a leading shark-fishing nation, largely due to unintentional bycatch from its tuna longline fishing fleet. The incidental capture of sharks has contributed to the decline of key apex predator populations, undermining the stability and health of marine ecosystems. This situation runs counter to the objectives of SDG 14.2, which calls for the sustainable management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts.

Delayed Adherence to International Conservation Frameworks

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted protective measures for several migratory shark species between 2009 and 2021. However, Mexico was repeatedly cited by ICCAT’s Compliance Committee for its failure to implement these international commitments at a national level. This lack of action created a significant gap in regional conservation efforts and hindered progress towards SDG 14.c, which emphasizes the implementation of international law for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans.

Analysis of the New Conservation Measures

Scope of the National Ban

The new regulations mandate that any of the listed shark species caught by Mexican longline vessels must be released in the best possible condition for survival. The ban applies to the following highly vulnerable and ecologically vital species:

• Bigeye thresher sharks (Alopias superciliosus)
• Oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus)
• Shortfin mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus)
• Hammerhead sharks (all Sphyrna species except the bonnethead)
• Silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis)

Contribution to Global Sustainable Development Goals

Mexico’s policy change directly supports several key SDG targets:

1. SDG 14: Life Below Water: The primary goal advanced is the conservation of marine life. The ban specifically addresses Target 14.4 by regulating harvesting to end overfishing of threatened species and contributes to Target 14.2 by protecting apex predators essential for maintaining the balance of marine food webs.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: By prohibiting the retention and trade of bycatch, the regulation promotes more sustainable production patterns within the fishing industry, aligning with the principles of sustainable management of natural resources.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: This action demonstrates a renewed commitment to international cooperation. By implementing ICCAT requirements, Mexico strengthens the global partnership for sustainable development and acknowledges the role of multi-stakeholder collaboration, involving intergovernmental bodies and conservation organizations like the Shark League coalition.

Future Outlook and Enforcement

Stakeholder Response

Conservation groups, including Shark Advocates International and the Shark Trust, have welcomed the announcement as a positive development. However, they emphasize that the decade-long delay has had significant consequences for imperiled shark populations and stress the urgent need for effective implementation.

Monitoring and Compliance

The success of these new protections is contingent upon rigorous enforcement and monitoring. The upcoming ICCAT Compliance Committee meeting in Seville, Spain, will be a critical forum for evaluating Mexico’s progress. Effective implementation will be essential for rebuilding trust within the international conservation community and, more importantly, for ensuring the long-term survival of these shark species and the health of the Atlantic Ocean, in line with the vision of SDG 14.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  This is the most central SDG to the article. The entire text focuses on the conservation of marine species (sharks), the impact of fishing practices (bycatch in tuna longlining) on marine ecosystems, and the implementation of regulations to protect threatened species in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The article explicitly discusses the ecological importance of sharks in maintaining “the balance of marine ecosystems.”

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The article addresses unsustainable fishing practices. The problem of “unintentional bycatch” of sharks in the pursuit of tuna is a clear example of an unsustainable production pattern in the fishing industry. The new regulations aim to mitigate this negative impact, pushing the industry towards more responsible practices that account for the broader ecosystem health, not just the target species.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights the critical role of international cooperation and multi-stakeholder partnerships. It details the dynamic between an intergovernmental body (ICCAT), a national government (Mexico), and a coalition of non-governmental conservation organizations (Shark League, Shark Advocates International, the Shark Trust, etc.). The pressure from these international and civil society partners was instrumental in pushing Mexico to comply with its conservation commitments.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 14 (Life Below Water):
   • Target 14.2: “By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts…” The article directly relates to this by discussing how Mexico’s new ban is a step toward protecting threatened shark species, which are described as “ecologically vital predators” essential for maintaining the health of “coral reefs, seagrass beds, and open-ocean food webs.”
   • Target 14.4: “By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices…” The core issue is the overfishing of sharks through bycatch, which has “decimated” their populations. Mexico’s new ban is a direct regulatory action to end this practice for five specific groups of sharks, aligning with the goal of regulating harvesting to restore stocks.
   • Target 14.c: “Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law…” The article is centered on Mexico’s delayed and now recent compliance with its legal requirements under the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). This demonstrates the process of a nation implementing international agreements for ocean conservation.
2. Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
   • Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.” The practice of shark bycatch is an inefficient and unsustainable use of marine resources, where non-target species are caught and discarded. The new rule forcing the release of these sharks “in the best possible condition for survival” is a move towards more sustainable management of marine natural resources within the fishing industry.
3. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.16: “Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships…” The article exemplifies this target by showing how a coalition of NGOs (the Shark League) and an intergovernmental body (ICCAT) worked to hold a member nation (Mexico) accountable for its international commitments, thereby advancing a shared global conservation goal.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 14:
  • Indicator related to Target 14.4: The article implies the need to measure the status of shark populations. It states that populations of species like the oceanic whitetip and bigeye thresher have been “decimated.” A direct indicator of progress would be the recovery of these specific shark populations (e.g., population size, reduction in fishing mortality) following the implementation of the ban.
  • Indicator related to Target 14.c: The article explicitly points to a key indicator: national compliance with international agreements. Mexico’s failure to enact domestic regulations was noted for years by “ICCAT’s Compliance Committee.” Therefore, the enactment of the “long-awaited national bans” is a clear, measurable indicator of progress in implementing international conservation measures at the national level.
• For SDG 12:
  • Indicator related to Target 12.2: The volume of shark bycatch is an implied indicator. The article describes how longline vessels were hauling in “countless sharks as unintentional bycatch.” A measurable indicator of progress would be a verifiable reduction in the number of protected sharks being caught, retained, or landed by Mexico’s tuna fishing fleet. The new regulation requires release, so data on release events would be a key metric.
• For SDG 17:
  • Indicator related to Target 17.16: The effectiveness of the partnership can be measured by its outcome. For years, reports from the Shark League “highlighted Mexico as one of the biggest gaps.” The successful policy change in Mexico—the new ban—serves as a concrete indicator of the effectiveness of this multi-stakeholder partnership in influencing national policy to achieve a sustainable development goal.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: forbes.com