Hubert Méndez Camacho is a fisherman of third generation in La Paz who witnessed and suffered the negative effects of illegal fishing and the deterioration of the marine ecosystem.
Originally from El ManglitoIn La Paz, Baja California Sur, Méndez Camacho and a group of fishermen set out more than a decade ago to reverse the situation they were suffering and consolidate an organization that would pursue the objectives of achieving the integral development of their community and the sustainable exploitation of fishing, aquaculture and tourism.
This is how the Fishermen's Organization Rescuing the Inlet (OPRE), of which Méndez Camacho is chairman of the board of directors.
"There are currently 109 fishermen, men and women who make up OPRE, and the actions we carry out benefit 600 members of our community," he says.
The social leader has participated in different events and forums to give testimony of what has been done in El Manglito, which is already considered a success story.
One of them was the forum Challenges of Fishing in Mexico: Illegal fishing, loss of export certifications and deterioration of fish species, convened by the Mexican Senate, where Méndez Camacho was part of the Round Table: Recovering fishing abundance.
The president of OPRE detailed the restoration process of the Ensenada de La Paz and the community transformation that this has meant.
Through actions such as cleaning the seabed, carrying out evaluations and monitoring, surveillance, care and restoration of mangroves, the organization led by Méndez Camacho has managed to recover the productivity of this fishing zone.
Méndez Camacho will be one of the guests at the Summit 2022 Mission Prosperityof Sea of Cortez Forumwhich will be held from November 16 to 18, 2010 at Los CabosBaja California Sur, where she will participate in the forum talk Thriving Communities in the Sea of Cortez.
