- The caucus will engage in a strategic collaboration with the executive and legislative branches to accelerate Mexico's transition to a sustainable ocean economy
- Mexico's participation in the global project called "Facilitating dialogue and strengthening transboundary cooperation with legislators to improve marine governance" is strengthened by the involvement of the Foreign Ministry, together with the ICCF and UNEP.
The first Mexican Oceans Caucus has been launched during the June 13-15 "Field Mission to Sonora: promoting legislative work for a sustainable ocean economy." The voluntary task force seeks to give impetus to the development of a sustainable ocean economy in Mexico by working with legislators, the executive branch and civil society to strengthen current legislation on this topic. It is important to note that this is only the second Oceans Caucus worldwide.
These efforts are part of the work done by Mexico in the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. In this case, the focus is on the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project called "Facilitating dialogue and strengthening transboundary cooperation with legislators to improve marine governance."
The Caucus is the result of the collaboration between the Foreign Ministry and other government agencies –including the National Commission on Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conapesca) and the Navy Ministry – with the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Community and Biodiversity AC, and particularly with a group of local legislators and fishermen interested in promoting a sustainable ocean agenda.
The mission included Senator María Merced González and Deputies Marcela Guerra, María del Carmen Bautista, Adriana Bustamante, Edna Gisel Díaz, Sandra Navarro, Jaime Martínez, Bernardo Ríos, Eduardo Enrique Murat, and Juan Carlos Natale.
The Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, Martha Delgado, led the mission. She said that the participants had been able to observe successful management experiences in the fisheries-aquaculture sector and effective policies for the conservation and protection of marine resources, which provided tangible evidence that caring for the ocean is important for the well-being and of our fishing communities. She said that a sustainable ocean economy depends on a harmonious relationship between effective protection and sustainable production for fair and equitable prosperity.
During the mission, the local fishermen discussed priority issues for improving their productivity while preserving the health of their marine coastal ecosystems.
The mission participants also visited local fish refuges and the Fourth Naval Region, and toured the Pegusa sardine plant, where there were talks on good practices in the industrial fishing sector.
This mission and the many other actions taken by the Government of Mexico reaffirm its commitment to the sustainable development, protection, conservation and improvement of the productivity of our seas and coasts. This type of initiative puts Mexico on track to fulfill its international commitments in various international forums and organizations related to the sustainable development of the ocean, particularly in the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.
