By-catch Studies

The shrimp fishery is the most important fishery in Mexico in terms of value, exports, and employment.  

According to world averages compiled by the FAO, global shrimp trawling has an average rate of 84% by-catch, the highest by-catch percentage of any fishing industry, and produces one third of global fisheries discards. By-catch rates in the southern Gulf have been documented between 83% and 97%, exemplifying that the percent of by-catch from the trawled shrimp fishery in the Gulf is generally higher than the global average.

The Kino Bay Center has run an ongoing shrimp trawler by-catch monitoring project since 2003, with participation from students in the Marine Conservation course, offered in fall quarters through Prescott College’s Resident Degree Program.  The data, which is collected by students working hand in hand with Center researchers and trawler crews, is used to address regional conservation issues by government fisheries managers, scientists, and local NGO’s working towards sustainable fisheries.