Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

Recreational fishing is a rapidly growing industry. In the ocean, recreational fisheries often occur in critical habitats for multiple life stages of many fishes, including estuaries, reefs, mangroves, and embayments. The environmental damage to these places can be significant due to bycatch, fisheries-induced selection, trophic changes, and habitat degradation. Los Cabos is one of the most important places for the development of recreational fishing in Mexico. This study reviews the current regulatory status of recreational fishing activities in Los Cabos, and evaluates the regulations to see if they are still useful for this growing fishery. This includes a literature review of the legal and economic situation in Los Cabos, and a calculation of the catch-per-unit-effort for one company. The results can provide guidance for future regulation of this activity in the state.