Dr. Felipe Amezcua, a biologist from the Faculty of Sciences at UNAM, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Liverpool in 2000. He joined UNAM’s Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology (ICMYL) in 2001, where he now leads the Mazatlán Academic Unit and the Ichthyology and Fisheries Laboratory. His research focuses on the ichthyofauna of the Gulf of California and Pacific Ocean, emphasizing fisheries, environmental interactions, and multidisciplinary topics such as trophic ecology, fish migration, and pollution. His work has advanced understanding of fish productivity linked to mangrove connectivity, the impact of fishing on estuarine ecosystems, and migratory patterns of sharks. Notably, Dr. Amezcua was the first to report microplastics in regional fish and in batoids (rays) globally, contributing valuable insights to marine environmental health and conservation strategies.

Dr. Miguel Ángel Cisneros Mata is a fisheries biologist and marine ecologist, currently a researcher at the Mexican Institute of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (IMIPAS) in Guaymas, Sonora. He obtained his doctorate in ecology from the University of California-Davis in 1995 and has served as General Director of Fisheries Research (2000-2003) and Chief Director of IMIPAS (2007-2010). With experience mentoring over 60 undergraduate and graduate students from various universities and research centers, he has authored nearly 100 publications, including books and chapters, as well as over 200 technical reports. His research interests include population modeling, dynamics, and demography of marine species, climate variability and change, fisheries impacts, and solutions to irregular fishing practices. Additionally, he seeks to understand the relationships between value networks, management policies, conservation efforts, citizen science, and the governance structures involving stakeholders in the fishing and aquaculture sectors.

Dr. Martín G. Frías-Espericueta is a Professor and Researcher at the Faculty of Marine Sciences, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, specializing in the analysis of potentially toxic elements (PTE) in water, sediments, and commercial marine species, particularly fish and shrimp. His research includes ecotoxicological bioassays to evaluate the effects of PTE on shrimp, focusing on DNA, oxidative stress, growth, histopathology, and immune response.

Laura Elena García Macías graduated in Seafood Engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico del Mar. She began her career in 1992 as a laboratory analyst at Productos Pesqueros de Mazatlán, S.A. de C.V., and in 1996 became the training and testing manager at Pescados Industrializados, S.A. de C.V. She then served as head of quality control at RG Alimentos, S.A. de C.V. Since 2001, she has been the Quality Assurance Manager at Maz Industrial, S.A. de C.V. With over 30 years of experience, Laura specializes in food management systems, quality control, and the analysis of marine products, with a focus on sardine and tuna by-products.

Dr. Bruno Gomez-Gil is a lead scientist at the Center for Research in Nutrition and Development (CIAD) in the Mazatlán Unit for Aquaculture and Environmental Management, Mexico. He earned his Ph.D. from the Institute of Aquaculture at Stirling University in Scotland. Dr. Gomez-Gil established both the Bacteriology Laboratory and the Microbial Genomics Laboratory at CIAD, dedicating over 30 years to the study of aquatic microbiology in aquaculture and environmental contexts. His research primarily focuses on vibrios, encompassing their taxonomy, pathogenicity, genomics, and prevalence in marine environments. He has published over 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals, authored several book chapters, and mentored 38 students at various academic levels while teaching postgraduate courses. Additionally, he has led national and international research projects, serves as a curator for the Collection of Aquatic Important Microorganisms (CAIM), and is an active member of various scientific organizations.

Dr. Ramón Pacheco-Aguilar earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Sonora in 1977, followed by a Master’s and Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from Oregon State University in 1986 and 1989. His research focuses on seafood quality, post-mortem biochemistry, enzyme biotechnology, product development, and bioactive compound recovery from fishery waste. As a founding member of CIAD (1982), he also served as its General Director (2007-2012). Dr. Pacheco-Aguilar has published 120 scientific papers with approximately 4,000 citations, received the National Prize in Food Science and Technology in 1992, and earned numerous distinctions, including Emeritus status at CIAD and SNII. He has mentored numerous students, collaborated with FAO, and served as Mexico’s representative for CODEX. Since his graduate years at OSU, he has been actively involved with PFT, becoming its first president from outside the U.S. and Canada in 1995.