From the sea to the market: elasmobranch fisheries and supply chain in Guatemala
Sharks and rays on Guatemala’s Pacific coast are highly exploited. Catches are dominated by at-risk species, many of which are juveniles. This suggests that nursery habitats are under pressure. Guatemala is also the largest importer of shark meat in Central America, and the domestic supply chain remains poorly understood. What is caught by fishers often does not match what appears in markets. Some species in high demand appear more frequently in markets than in landings. Others almost disappear in markets, raising concerns of mislabelling and unreported trade. Maria is researching how sharks and rays move through Guatemala’s fisheries and markets and is strengthening community-led monitoring.
Maria de Belen Chacón Paz
I am a biologist from Guatemala dedicated to the conservation of sharks and rays in the Pacific waters of my country. I work with Blue World Foundation, the only non-governmental organisation in Guatemala that focuses on generating data for the conservation of chondrichthyans. My work is driven by a passion for making science accessible to local communities, because I believe conservation is most effective when fishers, young people and families are part of the solution.
Throughout my career, I have been guided by a commitment to protect marine biodiversity while also supporting the well-being of the coastal...
Elasmobranch fisheries and supply chain in Guatemala: from the sea to the market
To research how sharks and rays move through Guatemala’s fisheries and markets, identify traceability gaps and strengthen community-led monitoring to promote sustainable management.
Sharks and rays are at potential risk in Guatemala’s Pacific waters due to overfishing, being taken as bycatch, and poorly monitored trade. Many species caught are threatened and sold under misleading names, making it hard to protect them. This project will uncover where these problems occur in the supply chain and empower local communities and authorities to take action.
Guatemala’s Pacific coast is a hotspot for artisanal fishing, but it is also a region where sharks and rays, many threatened with extinction, are caught in large numbers. Over the past decade, Blue World Foundation has monitored landings and found that catches are dominated by species such as the scalloped hammerhead, silky shark and Pacific sharpnose shark. Unfortunately, many are juveniles, which indicates that key nursery habitats are under pressure.
At the same time, Guatemala is the largest importer of shark meat in Central America and its domestic supply chain is poorly understood. What is caught by fishers often does not match what appears in markets. Some species in high demand, like the pelagic thresher, appear more frequently in markets than in landings. In contrast, others almost disappear in markets, raising concerns of mislabelling and unreported trade. Without clarity on how sharks and rays move ‘from sea to market’, conservation measures risk missing key intervention points.
This project works directly with fishing communities, traders and markets to develop a comprehensive understanding of the national supply chain. By combining landing data, market monitoring, DNA testing and interviews, it reveals where traceability breaks down and how management can be improved to protect threatened species.
- To identify potential mismatches between what is caught and what is sold by comparing the species diversity and relative frequency of elasmobranchs recorded in artisanal landings with those observed in seafood markets. This analysis will highlight cases of underreporting, mislabelling or unrecorded trade.
- To monitor seafood markets, recording shark and ray products in Guatemala City and five other locations.
- To uncover hidden trade in threatened species by using DNA barcoding on at least 50 market samples to test for mislabelling.
- To map the supply chain by conducting interviews to trace the journey of shark and ray products from coast to markets.
- To support policy and action by providing recommendations to improve traceability, management and compliance with national and international conservation commitments.