Species such as billfish, dolphin and roosterfish may be off limits to Mexican commercial fishermen should efforts by Senators Luis Coppola Joffroy and Humberto Andrade Quezada make headway in the Mexican senate.

The efforts are based on a proposal to amend Mexico’s national fisheries law to protect marlin, sailfish, swordfish, roosterfish and dolphin from commercial fishing, by designating fishing for the species only through sport fishing. South Floridians have seen firsthand the effect commercial fishing has on swordfish.

A recent study commissioned by The Billfish Foundation (TBF) on the significant impact sport fishing brings to Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas may have enlightened government officials to the economic money-maker that is offshore sport fishing. The study found that sport fishing created 24,426 jobs, $245.5 million in local and federal tax revenues, and $1.125 billion in total economic activity.

“Senators Coppola and Andrade should be hailed as true leaders in Mexico as they both clearly see that promoting sustainable development based on carefully managed sportfishing tourism is an economic and ecological win-win situation for that nation,” emphasized The Billfish Foundation President Ellen Peel. “These two men are fighting for the region’s life blood that is within the marine waters of the region—to destroy this resource would be economic suicide to thousands of jobs in Mexico.”

Commercial fishing mismanagement has made headlines of late in Mexico, spurring increased efforts from groups such as The Billfish Foundation and, now, Mexican senators.

Dolphin are strictly a sportfish species under Mexican fisheries law, but for years have attracted illegal commercial fishing, especially in areas like the Sea of Cortez. Tons of the illegal dolphin (dorado) catches—intentionally mislabeled—have crossed into the United States through Arizona and California, reports the TBF.

Recent attempts by Mexico’s fisheries agency, CONAPESCA, to establish liberal bycatch allowances for billfish, dolphin and other species have also drawn sharp criticism from sportfishing and conservation organizations. A highly controversial new regulation allows for the “incidental” harvest of billfish, dolphin and other species within Mexico’s 24-year-old conservation zones.