G/TBT/N/MEX/369  
25 August 2017  
(17-4535) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original : Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : MEXICO  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2) : n/a 
2. Agency responsible : Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Re cursos Naturales  (Ministry of the 
Environment and Natural Resources)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:  
Cuauhtémoc Ochoa Fernández  
Subsecretario de Fomento y Normatividad Ambiental de la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y 
Recursos Naturales y Presidente del Comité Consultivo Nacional de Normalización de Medio 
Ambiente y Recurso s Naturales  
Av. Ejército Nacional 223, Col . Anáhuac  
Ciudad de México C.P. 11320  
Tel.: 54900900  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ ], 2.10.1 [X], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
headi ng. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable) : Totoaba 
(Totoaba macdonaldi ) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Norma Oficial 
Mexicana de emergencia NOM -EM-169-SEMARNAT -2017, que establece las 
especificacio nes de marcaje para los ejemplares, partes y derivados de totoaba ( Totoaba 
macdonaldi ) provenientes de unidades de manejo para la conservación de vida silvestre  
(Emergency Mexican Official Standard NOM -EM-169-SEMARNAT -2017 establishing the 
marking specific ations for specimens, parts and derivatives of totoaba ( Totoaba 
macdonaldi ) from wildlife conservation management units) (6 pages, in Spanish)  
6. Description of content : The notified Standard is binding on natural and legal persons 
engaged in commercial or non -commercial activities involving specimens, parts and 
derivatives of totoaba ( Totoaba macdonaldi ) in the United Mexican States.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : The notified Emergency Mexican Offi cial Standard establishes the marking 
specifications for specimens, parts and derivatives of totoaba ( Totoaba macdonaldi ) that is 
sustainably farmed in wildlife conservation management units . The specifications will make 
it possible to track the movements of these products between the management unit and 
the end marketer, thus ensuring their traceability.  
Conservation efforts in recent years have not been sufficient to stop the illegal fishing of 
totoaba and the trafficking of specimens, parts and derivativ es of this fish, which is an 
endangered species . The notified Standard has therefore been given emergency status, 
and ensures the implementation of measures that will make it possible to demonstrate the G/TBT/N/MEX/369  
- 2 - 
  lawful origin of specimens, parts and derivatives of totaba bred in captivity . The text will 
harmonize the marking of totoaba specimens, parts and derivatives from wildlife 
conservation management units, reduce the illegal fishing of specimens in the wild using 
nets that also accidentally trap vaquitas ( Phocoena sinus ), and curb the illegal trade in 
totoaba specimens, parts and derivatives.  
8. Relevant documents:  
The following document is vital for the application of this Emergency Mexican Official 
Standard or any document that might replace it:  
NOM-059-SEMA RNAT -2010, Protección ambiental -Especies nativas de México de flora y 
fauna silvestres Categorías de riesgo y especificaciones para su inclusión, exclusión o 
cambio -Lista de especies en riesgo  (Mexican Official Standard NOM -059-SEMARNAT -2010, 
Environmental  Protection - Species of wild flora and fauna native to Mexico - Risk 
categories and specifications for their inclusion, exclusion or amendment - List of species 
at risk) , published in the Official Journal ( Diario Oficial de la Federación ) on 3 0 December 
2010.  
9. Proposed date of adoption : 23 August 2 017 
Proposed date of entry into force : This Emergency Mexican Official Standard will enter 
into force the day after its publication in the Official Journal (2 2 August 2 017) and remain 
in effect for a period o f six months.  
10. Final date for comments : n/a 
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
Secretaría de Economía  (Ministry of the Economy)  
Subse cretaría de Competitividad y Normatividad  (Under -Secretariat of Competitiveness 
and Standardization)  
Dirección General de Normas  (General Directorate of Standards)  
Tel.: (+52) 55 5729 9100, Ext. 43217  
Fax: (+52) 55 5520 9715  
Website: http://www.economia -noms.gob.mx/?P=144  
Email: normasomc@economia.gob.mx  and/or sofia.pacheco@economia.gob.mx  
jose.ramosr@economia.gob.mx  
Text available online at:  
http://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5494562&fech a=22/08/2017  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/MEX/17_3752_00_s.pdf