LORETO PANGUEROS--Capt. Alejo Davis Romero of Loreto, B.C.S., Mexico. Photo courtesy Jeff Petersen.

SPORTFISHING CAPT. ALEJO DAVIS ROMERO

March 23, 2005, Jeff Petersen, Interview with Loreto, Mexico Sportfishing Captain Alejo Davis Romero:

Capt. Alejo uses his home phone for reservations. From the U.S.A., call 011-52-613-135-0864. Prepared by generations of teachings and a lifetime of experience, Alejo teases fish around rocks he sees with clarity as if water was drained from the sea. Here is his story:

Captain Romero:

"One of my favorite things to do is fish. When I don't have clients I go fishing alone, for either commercial fishing or just for food.

"I started fishing at Loreto when I was about 9 years old. I would wait anxiously for vacation to go with my dad to fish. My father fished for shark and turtle. My father's father was the same, a Loreto fisherman.

"My best memories are when I was a young boy, fishing shark and turtle. We would camp out on the islands, just me and my father and sometimes my older brother. We would be out there for no less than a week. When I would go camping with my dad he showed me all the basics from filleting, cooking, fishing, knots, salting and drying. We would salt and dry the shark and send them to Mexico to be sold. I don't only fish. I also like to take camping trips and whale watching for these beautiful creatures of nature that God has given us.

"Last year I completed my term as President of the Fishermen of Touristic Services here in Loreto B.C.S., Mexico. This is a 3 year term. Every 3 years there is a new election. There are 27 associates in this particular association.

I, coming from a time when the fishing of turtles, etc., was legal, think that the biggest problem now is nets. Back then, the smallest the nets allowed had a 6-inch mesh, and only big fish would be caught. Now the nets destroy everything because of how small the squares of the nets are. These nets are at least 100 meters long. The truth is there isn't any damage done with hooks and weights, but the damage is done with the nets. What we don't understand is why the government went from 6 inches to no limit, since so much damage is happening to the environment.

On the backside of the fishing license are the fish capture limits. Jurel, 5 per person. Roosterfish, 1 per person. Dorado, 2 per person. Sierra, Huachi, Pinto, Whitefish, and Cabrilla 5 per person. Shark and Picudos (Marlin and Sailfish) 1 per person. When it is commercial fishing, there is no limit on the fish except for sportfish like Dorado and Marlin.

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from Loreto and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for Loreto may be found at Mexfish.com's main Loreto page.