Baja California Sur legislator Sergio Polanco Salaices introduced a bill on Monday to overhaul how municipalities govern fishing and aquaculture across the state. The Morena party member presented the fishing reform initiative during an ordinary session of the BCS Congress in La Paz.
The proposal would amend the state’s Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture Law. Its central change: replacing the existing Municipal Subcommittees for Fishing and Aquaculture with new Municipal Councils for Fishing and Aquaculture, granting local governments greater autonomy and decision-making power over the sector.
New Local Bodies and Inspection Powers
Beyond the council upgrade, the bill calls for creating local sub-councils that would serve as technical and social support bodies. Each sub-council would include a president, vice president, two secretaries, and voting members drawn from different community sectors. The goal is to give fishing communities a direct voice in planning and sustainable development.
One of the most significant provisions would grant municipalities the authority to establish inspection and monitoring commissions in coordination with the new councils. These commissions would conduct field oversight, report results, and propose strategies aimed at combating illegal fishing and aquaculture practices, a persistent problem across BCS coastal communities.
Legislative Link to State Fishing Council
The initiative also proposes placing a permanent representative from the BCS Congress’s Fishing and Aquaculture Commission on the State Fishing Council. This would create a formal link between the legislative branch and the technical bodies that shape fishing policy statewide.
Polanco Salaices framed the reform as a way to improve institutional coordination and promote more equitable development in one of BCS’s most important economic sectors. Fishing and aquaculture employ thousands of residents across the state’s five municipalities, from La Paz to Mulegé.
The bill has been referred to the Congress’s Fishing Commission for formal analysis and a ruling. No timeline for a vote has been announced.
The initiative was first reported by BCS Noticias and Tribuna de México.