The institutional dimension on the fish farming activity in the Amacuzac basin: looking for ways to stem the loss of wetlands in central Mexico

ABSTRACT

The State of Morelos is a pioneer and the leading producer of ornamental and edible fish in Mexico. In 2010, the State invested in increasing production units by improving infrastructure and the genetic quality of breeding stocks, as well as introducing non-native species. We investigated the current situation of aquaculture in the Amacuzac river basin in Morelos and the actors involved in this activity, their power relationships and their field of action in order to identify alternative ways of sustainable production. Information provided by government agencies showed significant inconsistencies in records, control and location of farms. Fish producers interviewed showed various management anomalies regarding water use and the prevention of fish escape and disease. Immediate joint efforts by state authorities and the aquaculture sector are needed to halt the ecological impact on wetlands and rivers and to implement environmentally and economically sustainable aquaculture practices in Morelos.

KEYWORDS:

• Aquaculture
• invasive species
• morelos
• riparian ecosystems
• rivers
• sustainable fish production

Acknowledgments

This study was financed by the Secretariat of Public Education, Mexico, PRODEP SA/DSA/DEMP543/13 and a CONACyT scholarship for studies. We are grateful to the inhabitants, owners and producers of the fish farms along the Amacuzac River, where we performed interviews, as well as to representatives of government institutions at local, state and federal levels for their willingness to participate in interviews. We are grateful to Humberto Mejía-Mojica and Norman Mercado for their comments and observations on this investigation. We are grateful to Lynna Kiere for reviewing the English and to Dr. Martino Gastelum for a critical review of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología; The Mexican Secretariat of Public Education [PRODEP SA/DSA/DEMP543/13].