Eastern Tropical Pacific Region

Regional Coordinator: Shaleyla Kelez

The Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) region for the GLOBAL project is conformed by 11 countries on the west coast of Central and South America.  Of the fishing gear that Project GLOBAL is studying, the most important fisheries in the region are shrimp trawling (from Mexico to Ecuador), pelagic longline for tunas, swordfish, sharks and mahi mahi and coastal gillnets for a wide diversity of fish species.

There are several initiatives in the region that are trying to minimize the incidental capture of marine vertebrates. One of these initiatives is the “Programa Regional de Tortugas marinas del Pacifico Oriental” (Regional Program of Marine Turtles from the Eastern Pacific). This program is testing circle hooks in the artisan longline fisheries to reduce the turtles capture rates without reducing target fish catch. Other initiatives include small scale observer programs in some countries and a new national observer program in Chile.
 

The marine mega vertebrate species of concern in this region are the following:
-    Vaquita (Phocoena sinus): The vaquita is restricted to the northern area of the Gulf of California. The vaquita’s population is considered by UICN as critically endangered.
-    Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata): The Eastern Tropical Pacific population of the hawksbill turtle had experienced a big decline in the last 30 years. Their population is so low that in most of the countries of this region it is considered rare. UICN categorized this species as critically endangered.
-    Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea): The leatherback population that inhabits this region has been declining since the 1980’s. This decline has been evidenced by the numbers in the nesting beaches of Mexico and Costa Rica. The status of this species under the IUCN red list is also critically endangered.
-    Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta): The ETP region is inhabit by juveniles of two distinct populations of loggerheads, one in the north and one in the south. Both populations have been declining for the last 25 years. This decline seems to be currently stopping but the population levels are extremely low. It is classified as endangered by UICN.
-    Galapagos Petrel (Pterodroma phaepygia): This petrel is endemic to the Galapagos Islands and its population is in a critically endangered situation.
-    Chatham albatross (Thalassarche eremita): This albatross forage in the Humboldt Current system off Peru and Chile and its population is critically endangered.
-    Waved albatross (Phoebastria irrorata): This albatross is endemic to the Galapagos Islands and utilize the Peruvian upwelling system to feed. Currently it is listed as vulnerable but Birdlife is proposing to uplisted as endangered.


Project GLOBAL is currently collecting and summering information about the fisheries in the region, specifically fishing characteristics, fishing effort and incidental capture.