Campeche Octopus Shortage Leads to Imports from Yucatan

Campeche is grappling with a scarcity of octopus along its coasts, leading to a reliance on imports from Yucatan. The majority of the octopus sold in local markets is sourced from Yucatan due to a decline in local catches.

Carmelo Huicab Fernández, the President of the San Román Fishermen's Cooperative, has expressed concern over the situation. He noted that the fishing conditions are similar to the previous season, with the majority of the octopus caught being of small size. This has led to a report being filed with CRIP to investigate a potential shift in the mollusk's reproductive cycle.

Campeche should ideally produce between 8,000 and 9,000 tons of octopus, but this season, only about 2,000 tons have been caught. Huicab explained, “There is no local fishing, but everything is coming from Yucatan because the permit holders are sending their boats to work there.” This situation highlights a significant shortage of octopus in local waters and a growing dependence on Yucatan's catches.

Moreover, both octopus and dogfish are migrating further from the coasts, forcing fishermen to travel more than 80 miles offshore. This increases both the costs and risks associated with fishing. Despite these challenges, the price of octopus remains between 60 and 110 pesos, varying according to the customer. This price range reflects the uncertainty currently facing the local fishing industry.