Mexico Supreme Court orders issuance of pending fishing regulations

Mexico's Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) has ordered President Claudia Sheinbaum to issue the regulations for the General Law of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture. The mandate follows a legal omission that has persisted for nearly 19 years, as the deadline for the regulations originally expired in early 2008.

In a 7-2 vote, the Court granted an injunction (amparo) to fishermen from Las Barrancas in Alvarado, Veracruz. The ruling, presented by Minister Yasmín Esquivel Mossa, argued that the failure to issue the regulations violates the constitutional right to a healthy environment and prevents the implementation of a modern regulatory model focused on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem protection.

The Court has established a deadline of 180 business days for the competent authorities to complete the necessary procedures to publish the regulations. Ministers noted that the current lack of updated regulations hinders the transition from a purely productive model to one centered on sustainability and food sovereignty.