2.5 Echinoderm Threats in Mexico
The marine biodiversity of Mexico is threatened by various human activities.
The main factors are pollution and fishing activities.
2.5.1 Over Exploitation
Of the five classes of echinoderms, sea urchins and sea cucumbers are most
heavily exploited. The sea cucumbers (bêche-de-mer or trèpang) that are fished
commercially include 42 species from around the world. They are consumed for
their high-protein content of the body wall, which is boiled and dried (Purcell et al.
2010). During the 1990s, the number of producing countries increased worldwide
with established fisheries in Canada, USA, Mexico and Ecuador. Despite efforts to
regulate the sea cucumber fisheries in Mexico, illegal fishing continues. One of the
greatest dangers to unregulated fishing of this resource is potential population
collapse and therefore the risk of species extinction (Pech 2010). This situation is
not new. In the late 80’s began in the Gulf of California: I. fuscus catches exceeded
one thousand tons in 1991 (Reyes-Bonilla et al. 2008). However, only 5 years later
the fishery authorities declared it endangered and prohibited its capture. This
species is currently on the list of protected species (NOM-059-ecol-2001).
So far, there have been four species of sea cucumbers exploited in the Gulf of
Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean: Holothuria mexicana, H. floridana, Astichopus
multifidus, Isostichopus badionotus (Zetina-Moguel et al. 2003) and two species in
the Mexican Pacific, I. fuscus and P. parvimensis.
Fisheries are also a threat to sea urchins in Mexico. Two species of sea urchins
from the Mexican Pacific have been exploited: S. purpuratus and S. franciscanus.
One of these fisheries occurs in Baja California Mexico, with the exploitation of
S. purpuratus, the purple sea urchin. Gonads are exported to the Northeast Pacific
(Micael et al. 2009). The organisms are collected by hand or with dredges. Since
the quantity and quality of roe cannot be assessed externally, the individuals are
cracked open, causing a high level of mortality and discard of animals.
2.5.2 Trawling and Accidental Catch
The catch depends on the gear used in particular fishery and the amount of effort
applied. One of the major problems in trawl fisheries is the large numbers of other
species that are caught and discarded. Northwestern Mexico, and in particular the
Gulf of California, is the most important fishing area in the country (Robadue
2002). Seventy-seven percent of the volume of fish production in Mexico is
obtained from the Pacific Ocean, and discharged in Baja California, Baja
44
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.
The marine biodiversity of Mexico is threatened by various human activities.
The main factors are pollution and fishing activities.
2.5.1 Over Exploitation
Of the five classes of echinoderms, sea urchins and sea cucumbers are most
heavily exploited. The sea cucumbers (bêche-de-mer or trèpang) that are fished
commercially include 42 species from around the world. They are consumed for
their high-protein content of the body wall, which is boiled and dried (Purcell et al.
2010). During the 1990s, the number of producing countries increased worldwide
with established fisheries in Canada, USA, Mexico and Ecuador. Despite efforts to
regulate the sea cucumber fisheries in Mexico, illegal fishing continues. One of the
greatest dangers to unregulated fishing of this resource is potential population
collapse and therefore the risk of species extinction (Pech 2010). This situation is
not new. In the late 80’s began in the Gulf of California: I. fuscus catches exceeded
one thousand tons in 1991 (Reyes-Bonilla et al. 2008). However, only 5 years later
the fishery authorities declared it endangered and prohibited its capture. This
species is currently on the list of protected species (NOM-059-ecol-2001).
So far, there have been four species of sea cucumbers exploited in the Gulf of
Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean: Holothuria mexicana, H. floridana, Astichopus
multifidus, Isostichopus badionotus (Zetina-Moguel et al. 2003) and two species in
the Mexican Pacific, I. fuscus and P. parvimensis.
Fisheries are also a threat to sea urchins in Mexico. Two species of sea urchins
from the Mexican Pacific have been exploited: S. purpuratus and S. franciscanus.
One of these fisheries occurs in Baja California Mexico, with the exploitation of
S. purpuratus, the purple sea urchin. Gonads are exported to the Northeast Pacific
(Micael et al. 2009). The organisms are collected by hand or with dredges. Since
the quantity and quality of roe cannot be assessed externally, the individuals are
cracked open, causing a high level of mortality and discard of animals.
2.5.2 Trawling and Accidental Catch
The catch depends on the gear used in particular fishery and the amount of effort
applied. One of the major problems in trawl fisheries is the large numbers of other
species that are caught and discarded. Northwestern Mexico, and in particular the
Gulf of California, is the most important fishing area in the country (Robadue
2002). Seventy-seven percent of the volume of fish production in Mexico is
obtained from the Pacific Ocean, and discharged in Baja California, Baja
44
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.