EAST CAPE ANGLER WANTS ACTION TO COUNTER
COMMERICAL FISHING WITH GILL NETS

April 19, 2005, Peter Langstraat, Baja California Sur, Mexico Gill Net Fishing Report:

The last three years I encountered gill nets every time I was at East Cape, at Punta Arena to Bahia el Rincon. Every single time I tried to get some authority there. Sometimes I tried even for weeks and nothing ever happened.

The police at the village of La Ribera say it is not their duty.

Mark Rayor's diving center at Buena Vista has two inspector-captains. However Mark says they are allowed only to inspect the Cabo Pulmo marine preserve.

I've had hotel keepers sending mails to Profepa in La Paz, but they never got any response. According to local Mexicans that is exactly what you can expect from La Paz.

I've had other hotel keepers get in touch with the authority in Mexico City. Well, Mexico City wants "evidence." In other words, they want me to risk my neck getting up close so that I can take pictures of them in action and capturing the names and numbers of their boats at the same time. Mission almost impossible.

I know their names and the names of their boats, but no numbers. I know where these people live and I have pictures of their nets when they were in the water from right near shore towards about a mile out. But still it is not enough to trigger some action.