The Mexico Baja California pole and line yellowfin and skipjack tuna fishery has been awarded MSC certification.
The fishery, which operates in the Mexican Exclusive Economic Zone off the west coast of Baja California, is the first MSC certified yellowfin tuna fishery in the world.
The client for the fishery is Productos Pesqueros de Matancitas S.A. de C.V. (PPM). The certificate covers two vessels (Molly N and Westerly) currently owned by PPM, with the possibility of extension to other pole and line vessels licensed to fish yellowfin and skipjack tuna in the area.
The fishery operates year round with most fishing taking place between late April and late December. Landings by the two client vessels have fluctuated over the years and in 2009 were 379mt. The catch of yellowfin and skipjack tuna is canned at the client’s processing facility in Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, also known as Matancitas, and currently marketed in Mexico.
