The Mexican government will provide slightly more financial support to small-scale commercial fishers through its Bienpesca program in 2026, increasing annual payments to MXN 8,000 (USD 451, EUR 390).
In a 24 March release, Mexico’s National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (Conapesca) announced that it had budgeted MXN 1.5 billion (USD 88 million, EUR 76 million) for Bienpesca, which provides direct payments to commercial fishers and aquaculture workers, in 2026. Conapesca said the funding will support 192,141 beneficiaries, representing roughly 60 percent of the people working in the nation’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
“With these actions, the Ministry of Agriculture reaffirms its commitment to promoting small-scale fishing and aquaculture, as these activities are essential for the economic security of coastal and inland water communities, as well as for the country's food sovereignty,” Conapesca said in a release.
The budgeted amount represents a slight increase from the MXN 1.4 billion (USD 81 million, EUR 70 million) allocated to Bienpesca in 2025. That funding provided an annual benefit of MXN 7,500 (USD 423, EUR 365) to participants.
In 2025, the federal government partnered with the state government of Sinaloa to provide an additional MXN 3,750 (USD 202, EUR 175) in Bienpesca benefits to fishers and aquaculture workers in that state.
