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Old 02-14-2017, 02:11 PM   #1
Bob Ballew
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Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

...This is the most current info I can find on Mexico's new Pacific Islands Biosphere Reserve off the West Coast of Baja. President Enrique Pena Nieto signed a decree creating a 2.7 million acre marine preserve extending from the U.S. border to Mag Bay. It includes 21 islands, 97 islets and other habitat used by marine mammals and seabirds.
...On Dec. 8th, American sportfishing officials met in Cabo with their Mexican counterparts representing the government. The plan goes into effect in one year after input from all parties. It will establish new bag limits, closed areas, fishing methods and seasons/areas for fishing. The government position is there will be no impact on the areas until all details have been determined.
...However, based on my experience, not all officials in Baja receive correct info on Mexico City decisions and local officials may take a different approach, especially if it means income from fines or impounding of boats fishing in the preserve areas. In short, proceed at your own risk.
...My son works on a long range sportfishing charter boat. I saw the handwriting on the wall last year when conflicts arose between local panga fishermen in Baja and the big American sportboats fishing up close on panga fishing grounds. I advised him then, to start looking for a more reliable job, as I believe the new reserve will not allow long range boats to make a decent living. This is especially true, if areas like the Hurricane Bank, Clarion island, Cedros and San Benitos are to become protected areas. Time will tell.....

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Old 02-15-2017, 09:26 PM   #2
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

Bob, it would not piss me off so much if they would dedicate these areas off limits to the locals as well. The reality is the seiners and local fishermen are going to plunder these areas as they have done in the past. Personally, I think this is a bad idea as the locals that depend on the Gringo dollars to roll in for income, the dinero will dry up. Baja was bad off after the recession, the flu and the drug wars eight years ago. Add this protection plan and you have all but killed tourism in Baja for a major group. Buenos Suerte.
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Old 02-16-2017, 12:28 AM   #3
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

Understood....but,in my old age; my sympathy lies with the Mexican local pangaleros and diminishing resource issues....fishing/diving for us will probably survive but, you may be required to hire Mexican guides and boats to go out..like most knee jerk laws, the clock arm swings first one extreme direction, then, another, before settling in the middle....just takes time..the next Mexican President may do a Trump act and throw out the old environmental laws, depending on political winds at the time...
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Old 02-16-2017, 03:16 PM   #4
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

Glad I didn't buy a place in Baja.
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Old 02-16-2017, 11:08 PM   #5
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Ballew View Post
...This is the most current info I can find on Mexico's new Pacific Islands Biosphere Reserve off the West Coast of Baja. President Enrique Pena Nieto signed a decree creating a 2.7 million acre marine preserve extending from the U.S. border to Mag Bay. It includes 21 islands, 97 islets and other habitat used by marine mammals and seabirds.
...On Dec. 8th, American sportfishing officials met in Cabo with their Mexican counterparts representing the government. The plan goes into effect in one year after input from all parties. It will establish new bag limits, closed areas, fishing methods and seasons/areas for fishing. The government position is there will be no impact on the areas until all details have been determined.
...However, based on my experience, not all officials in Baja receive correct info on Mexico City decisions and local officials may take a different approach, especially if it means income from fines or impounding of boats fishing in the preserve areas. In short, proceed at your own risk.
...My son works on a long range sportfishing charter boat. I saw the handwriting on the wall last year when conflicts arose between local panga fishermen in Baja and the big American sportboats fishing up close on panga fishing grounds. I advised him then, to start looking for a more reliable job, as I believe the new reserve will not allow long range boats to make a decent living. This is especially true, if areas like the Hurricane Bank, Clarion island, Cedros and San Benitos are to become protected areas. Time will tell.....
Clarion has been shut down for a very long time as well as the Socorros. Im glad they are finally doing something about the San Diego long range boats. Blame the intrepid not the Mexican government. They stopped Tuna Penning last year and look what everyone came up with here in California. We dont allow Mexican boats in the US to fish so why get mad?

You will still be able to fish off the local panga fleets but they want to protect their resourses just like we are doing up here ala Scripps. What it means is they will sink another chinese vessel and probably an american boat since the line was drawn by Trump.

They can do whatever they want to do with their land and ocean, afterall its not ours and unfortunately neither is ours ours.
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Old 02-20-2017, 03:43 PM   #6
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

Mainphrame. Truly your most succinct and adult post ever.
Good job, keep it up.
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Old 02-20-2017, 11:52 PM   #7
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

I'm not opposed to a fishing reserve in New Mexico at all. ��
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:09 AM   #8
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

So it won't apply to speros driving down and renting ponga's or pulling their own boat but just to long range boats based out of the states?
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:56 PM   #9
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

Negative....details on all aspects of fishing, diving and commercial take are on the table...some compromise is hopefully in the works, rather than a retaliatory Trump-like blanket application to all islands and shore waterways by the Mexican government...Mexico City is a long way removed from Baja problems, so, effective communication will be somewhat of a problem each time a decision is up for discussion....hell, before it is over, some farmer may come up with ancient paperwork showing he owns all of Baja and the courts will uphold it........the blanket expulsion of immigrants may be the straw that breaks the camels back in our relationship with mainland Mexican officials...it's enough to make me convert to being a Catholic.....
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Old 02-22-2017, 04:54 AM   #10
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

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Mainphrame. Truly your most succinct and adult post ever.
Good job, keep it up.
I have alot to offer but this site is not the place. I havent even begun to talk about Baja and the Northern Channel Islands Yet.
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Old 02-22-2017, 05:07 AM   #11
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

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So it won't apply to speros driving down and renting ponga's or pulling their own boat but just to long range boats based out of the states?
I just came back from Baja Monday night. Everything is NORMAL.
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Old 02-22-2017, 05:09 AM   #12
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

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Negative....details on all aspects of fishing, diving and commercial take are on the table...some compromise is hopefully in the works, rather than a retaliatory Trump-like blanket application to all islands and shore waterways by the Mexican government...Mexico City is a long way removed from Baja problems, so, effective communication will be somewhat of a problem each time a decision is up for discussion....hell, before it is over, some farmer may come up with ancient paperwork showing he owns all of Baja and the courts will uphold it........the blanket expulsion of immigrants may be the straw that breaks the camels back in our relationship with mainland Mexican officials...it's enough to make me convert to being a Catholic.....
Didnt have a problem crossing for Presidents weekend both ways.
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Old 04-08-2017, 01:59 AM   #13
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

Are there updates on this? I'm traveling to Bahia Tortugas in 2 weeks and wondering if these laws are in effect yet. I'm going out with the local pangeros around Punta Eugenia.
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Old 04-08-2017, 08:24 AM   #14
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

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Are there updates on this? I'm traveling to Bahia Tortugas in 2 weeks and wondering if these laws are in effect yet. I'm going out with the local pangeros around Punta Eugenia.
Nothing is going to happen for a year or so, if the timeline holds.
Likely 2 years out.

We, as divers, are going to get jacked.
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Old 04-08-2017, 05:56 PM   #15
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Re: Some Facts on the New Mexican Pacific Reserves

going out with a local is a pretty good safeguard from the political b.s. going back and forth....you will be helping the local economy and they tend to look out for us under those circumstances...They aren't real fond of the Mexico City bureaucrats....
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