Retrospective Evaluation of Oceans and Fisheries Work in Mexico

The Walton Family Foundation wanted to understand how its grant-making and portfolio has contributed to achieving the foundation’s goals to promote fisheries management policies and programs; increase legal, reported, and regulated fishing; and foster sustainable management of Mexico’s most politically important fisheries (Gulf corvina, sardine/herring, tuna, shrimp, and lobster).

ERG’s Blue Earth Team conducted a retrospective analysis of the foundation’s fisheries funding in Mexico over the past decade. The evaluation informed the future of the foundation’s Mexico portfolio and how the foundation will conduct monitoring, evaluation, and learning efforts moving forward. ERG applied a mixed-methods evaluation approach, including document review of grantee reports, bi-lingual interviews with grantees and partners, and compilation of fisheries data for the foundation’s five key fisheries. After data analysis, ERG developed a report that included recommendations for how the foundation can strengthen its contribution to sustainable fisheries management in Mexico moving forward, as well as considerations for future monitoring, evaluation, and learning efforts.