Hake and black cod are fish that inhabit deep waters, and off the North East Pacific coasts of Mexico these resources are considered potential due to the lack of fleet for their capture. With mainly coastal fishing, Mexico has not yet committed to increase exploitation of resources in deep waters, which occupy an area of almost 98% of the exclusive economic zone. Hake and black cod are captured occasionally off the coast of Baja California with fishing promotion permits. As a consequence there are few scientific bases that allow their sustainable management. For example, there is a controversy on the number of hake species in Baja Californian waters; and in spite of Merluccius productus, M. angustimanus, and M. hernandezi, the three species which have been reported, there is uncertainty on their authenticity. For black cod only one species has been reported, Anoplopoma fimbria. 

Both hake and black cod show migrations along the North Pacific coasts, thus representing shared resources among Mexico, the United States, and Canada although the northern countries have a well established commercial fishery.  Considering this situation, Mexico requires to transform its potential fisheries into a commercial one. Besides, it needs to generate scientific knowledge to help manage fisheries, which could be useful management instruments for negotiation on the patrimonial right in exploitation of shared resources.

The purpose of this proposal is to employ DNA analysis and description of the fish shape to determine the number of hake species in the North East Pacific Ocean, as well as to identify different populations and estimate mixed hake and black cod populations in the surroundings of the Baja California Peninsula.

The preliminary results that have been found up to now reject the idea of the existence of three hake species in the North East Pacific Ocean, which is why with this study we propose the only occurrence of M. productus. Besides, this species shows genetically different populations along its distribution. This genetic population difference requires measures of specific fishery management by population.  As to cod, DNA data show that this species is made up of only one population that is genetically homogeneous from Alaska to Bahía de San Quintín. This knowledge will help Mexico in its efforts to manage the potential resources that are shared with the United States and Canada.