Fishery Sector Alert: Upper Gulf Producers Demand Urgent Regulation for Hake Catch

The fishing industry in the Upper Gulf of California faces a decisive moment at the start of 2026. Local producers have raised their voices to demand the immediate implementation of official regulations for hake fishing, a species that has become an economic lifeline for the region following the decline in shrimp production. Since 2014, hake has gained ground as a viable alternative, but growing commercial interest without a clear legal framework—specifically the pending NOM-020-SAG/PESC-2019—threatens to trigger overexploitation that could collapse this emerging resource.

Once the NOM is published, producers believe that this will allow them to sell hake in more markets and they will be able to have a more profitable project. In addition, they aspire to implement the same process that they have gone through with hake to other fisheries such as milkfish and curvina. "There are other species in which we can replicate the hake model and it would be much easier to replicate it and in this way guarantee that fishing survives. We want fishing activity to survive," said Cervantes.

From a **business and sustainability** perspective, the failure to publish this standard in the Official Gazette creates legal uncertainty and stalls export potential. Fishing cooperatives have proactively sought international MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification, a seal that would open doors to high-value markets in Europe and the United States. However, without federally defined catch quotas, obtaining these certifications is nearly impossible. The private sector warns that bureaucratic inaction is jeopardizing millions of pesos in investments and the livelihoods of hundreds of families in San Felipe and Santa Clara.

Despite these obstacles, fishermen have demonstrated remarkable business maturity by self-imposing responsible fishing practices to protect the biomass. The fishing community understands that hake is not an infinite resource and that its proper management is key to long-term economic stability. The demand is clear: federal authorities must unlock administrative processes so that the "hake fever" becomes an orderly, profitable, and enduring industry, rather than repeating past stories of depletion.