The assassination of Minerva Pérez Castro sparks calls for justice and greater due diligence in Mexican supply chains

The city of Ensenada in the Mexican state of Baja California has a population of almost 450,000 and is a major center for the supply, production and processing of seafood. It is located approximately 90 miles south of San Diego, California, USA.

In this city, where fishing is an important industry, Minerva Pérez Castro was born and raised. She grew up and became a leader in the Mexican fishing industry.

It is also true she was murdered on July 8.

According to many of Castro’s colleagues, her death was particularly painful and frightening because of her extensive work experience, her prestige and fearlessness in the fishing industry, and her strong personality.

“As a leader, she was never shy about speaking openly to the media about the dangers of organized crime’s involvement in the fishing industry and the extortion imposed by drug cartels on small-scale producers, industrial fishing companies, processing plants and supply chain actors,” said a colleague of Castro’s who asked not to be named. “She also called on the authorities responsible for fisheries management and enforcement to do their jobs, and was resolute about the decline of the fishing industry in Baja California in a climate of uncertainty and fear; being outspoken and fearless was fatal for her.”

After earning his degree in accounting, Castro immediately went to work in the fishing industry, working in a tuna and sardine processing plant in the industrial area of ​​El Sauzal, just north of Ensenada.

After gaining experience including founding, owning and running the geoduck harvesting company Atenea en el Mar, she began taking on leadership roles in the industry.

She was elected as the first female president of the Baja California section of the National Chamber of the Fisheries Sector (CANAINPESCA) and was vice-president of the mussel fishing section for the Mexican Council for the Promotion of Seafood Consumption (COMEPESCA).

In these leadership roles, she really began to speak out on behalf of producers and industry, speaking out about the threat posed by cartels.

Since her death, members of the Mexican seafood industry and other stakeholders have taken up these efforts, specifically calling on the Mexican government to bring justice for Castro. They also ask the U.S. seafood industry to advocate for greater transparency and due diligence for seafood from the Baja California region of Mexico.

“A critical element of the solution is recognizing the connections between Mexican seafood from the Baja California Peninsula — where the most valuable and sought-after seafood products are produced or harvested — and the U.S. market,” a Mexican seafood industry member, who also requested anonymity, told SeafoodSource. “The U.S. seafood industry must commit to being part of the solution by rewarding Mexican companies that support transparent supply chains and encouraging others to trace the source of their seafood from Mexico.”

While U.S. supply chains can play an important role, Megan Westmeyer, director of supply chain roundtables at the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, says their role is limited by several factors.

“There are two problems here. One is the widespread illegal fishing in Mexico, and sometimes that is coupled with pressure from organized crime. The second problem is the extortion of producers and processors in the form of protection payments and demands to give them a share of the proceeds from this value chain,” she said. “Minerva spoke out against both of those, so it’s really hard to know what really drove her murder. Realistically, the U.S. seafood supply chain has no direct influence on the extortion behavior of organized crime and can only try to discourage illegal fishing by restricting access to the market and thereby making seafood a less attractive investment for organized crime.”

Westmeyer, like many representatives of the Mexican seafood industry, believes it is a step in the right direction for companies to complement their traceability and transparency efforts with the due diligence of evaluating the accuracy of their documentation.

For example, the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership has developed an audit process for Mexican shrimp that allows industry members to verify the legitimacy of their documentation and assess the risk that products come from illegal fishing.

“Mexican Shrimp Supply Chain Roundtable members have implemented this rigorous and costly audit process to identify risks in their supply chains,” Westmeyer said. “What’s even more impressive is their willingness to take action in their supply chains based on that risk, whether it’s by demanding improved practices or changing their sourcing. I wish more buyers would recognize these important actions and shift their sourcing to an importer that participates in the Mexican Shrimp Supply Chain Roundtable.”

However, Westmeyer stressed that much work remains to be done in Mexico before real change can take place.

“The real solution – not an easy one, but the only real one – is for the new Mexican government to first root out the corrupt actors within their own government and then really start fighting organized crime,” Westmeyer said.

While Castro’s colleagues doubt her murder will be solved, they hope her story will bring more attention to the issue and protect the lives and livelihoods of Mexico’s seafood producers, processors and suppliers.

“We must remain hopeful that Minerva’s sacrifice is a turning point in the search for solutions. Finding someone who can bring a diverse seafood community together for the right reasons is a challenge,” a close industry colleague told SeafoodSource. “When this person passes, the magic of connection becomes even more apparent and their role and importance become crystal clear. These people are beacons and engines of action to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. Such is the case with our beloved friend Minerva Pérez Castro.”