Instituto Nacional de la Pesca

The origin of the Instituto Nacional de la Pesca has its roots in the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Biológico Pesqueras, which was created on the 29th of August 1962. Since then, it has acted as the Mexican Government’s main scientific and technological advisor on fisheries development and assessment. In 1971 it acquired its current name, "Instituto Nacional de la Pesca" (INP).

At present it has a central unit in Mexico city and 13 regional research centers, three stations and a Mexican Turtle Center. It also has eight research vessels, giving full national coverage and permanent contact with fishermen and the fishing industry.

Research activities deal with the most important fresh and marine water resources, such as shrimp, spiny lobster, blue crab, abalone, clams, conch, octopus, sardines, anchovy, tuna, and others like bill fish, sharks, groupers, sea urchin and sea cucumber. Actions have also been taken to study and protect marine turtles, gray whale, as well as the relationship tuna-dolphin. These actions have been acknowledged by the international scientific community.

The INP has more than 400 researchers and technicians working on the assessment of fisheries processes and phenomena, identification and quantification of resources, their importance and possibilities of exploitation, regulating and planning their use and developing methods and technology to produce, exploit, sell and manage its products in an optimal manner.

The INP is deeply concerned about using resources in an orderly and sustainable manner to preserve the marine environment for future generations. Thus it is also involved in water quality control and the negative effects it has upon the aquatic flora and fauna.