Mexico Enacts Long-Awaited Protections for Threatened Atlantic Sharks

Mexico has introduced new national regulations banning the capture and retention of several threatened shark species in its Atlantic waters — a move conservationists say is vital but years overdue. The new rules, announced by Mexico’s National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission, prohibit longline fisheries from catching, retaining, or selling five shark species across waters managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. These species include the vulnerable bigeye thresher and silky shark, the critically endangered oceanic whitetip, the endangered shortfin mako, and hammerhead sharks — excluding the bonnethead. The regulations bring Mexico into compliance with ICCAT recommendations dating back as far as 2009. “With this measure, Mexico complies with international commitments and promotes responsible, sustainable fishing practices that respect protected species,” the commission said in a statement. Conservation groups welcomed the move but criticized the delay and limited scope. “Although long overdue, Mexico’s new shark protections have the potential to significantly bolster international conservation efforts for some of the Atlantic’s most imperiled species,” said Sonja Fordham, president of Shark Advocates International. However, experts warned that key species such as manta rays and whale sharks remain unprotected, despite ICCAT’s recommendations. Iris Ziegler of the German Foundation for Marine Conservation noted that the rules only apply to “larger longline vessels,” leaving ambiguity about enforcement and excluding other fishing types like purse seiners and gillnetters. Ziegler also called for clearer release protocols and broader protections extending to Mexico’s Pacific waters, given the movement of vessels between both oceans. “Without stronger definitions and enforcement, the effectiveness of these measures may remain limited,” she said.