Estructura territorial de la actividad pesquera en Guaymas, Sonora

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to ascertain the territorial dimension of the fishing economy in Guaymas, Mexico. The geographical studies addressing this economic activity in Mexico and published in the last decades are scarce. For this reason, this research work is particularly important, as it outlines the fishery activities in one of the most active sea-ports of northwest Mexico, from a territorial perspective. The first part of this article explains why and how Economic Geography addresses fishery activities and which methodology we pursued to carry out this investigation, based on studies carried out by geographers, particularly in France and Argentina. Then the paper describes the natural conditions prevailing in the Gulf of California (also known as Sea of Cortez), a large inlet of the eastern Pacific Ocean that is rich in marine resources and where most of the main national fisheries are located. Guaymas is one of the most important sea ports located along the Gulf of California for its long fishing history and the variety of fishing species captured. This port, located in the southern coast of the state of Sonora, is a mediumsized city with a little over 100 thousand inhabitants; a considerable proportion of the local labor force works in the fishery sector and associated industries. Today, the fishery sector in Guaymas is characterized by a large number of artisan fishermen, a prominent fleet preciand the regular practise of illegal catching. This port is the seat of large enterprises, such as Ocean Garden, involved in the industrialization of catches (basically fish oil and fish meal) and their further commercialization within and outside Mexico. Two commercially important species have played a key role in the evolution and outline of the current territorial structure of fisheries in Guaymas. One is shrimp, with a fishery that recorded a boom during 1970-1990, bringing along a number of benefits for local fishermen in Sonora. This fishery declined in subsequent years, mostly due to the overexploitation of shrimp banks and the incorporation of private capital investors to the local shrimp economy; the downward trend of this fishery in Guaymas is still evident. For its part, sardine, particularly Monterey sardine, is the other important species in the economy in this sea port. It is captured to meet the demand for oil and fish meal. Since the 1960s, Guaymas has become Mexico's sardine port, as this species is at the core of the territorial structure of fisheries in this city. A significant volume of sardine biomass has been captured in the last 50 years in Guaymas, resulting in the overexploitation of the resource which, along with water pollution, has led to the collapse of sardine populations. Nonetheless, stakeholders and authorities involved this fishery have obtained the international certification of local sardine catches. There are several enterprises located in Guaymas dedicated to the industrial processing of sardine. These are vertically integrated, so they can easily buy catches, process them and sell the manufactured products both in Mexico and abroad. Markets for these and other fishing products are located at a considerable distance from Guaymas, including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Mexicali and Chihuahua City, as well and several places in California, United States. The territorial structure of the fishing economy in this part of Mexico is arranged on a spatial platform constituted by high-volume and diverse annual catches, an integrated sea port that not only addresses the needs of this economy but also serves the robust industrial and agricultural sectors of Sonora. Shipyards, large enterprises (national and foreign) involved in the fishing industry, banks, academic research centers and government offices can be added to the local fishing infrastructure. The geographical reach of the commercialization of fishing products (processed or otherwise), including several markets located far from this port, is another factor that accounts for the central role of Guaymas in the fishing economy of Sonora and the Gulf of California.