Major Fishing Restrictions and New Seasons Announced for Marine Species

The National Aquaculture and Fishing Commission (Conapesca), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has announced new fishing restrictions and seasons for various marine and freshwater species. These decisions were based on research and population assessments of marine resources by the Mexican Institute of Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture Research (IMIPAS).

The fishing of mullet and white mullet (Mugil cephalus and Mugil curema) was halted from the start of December until the end of the month in the federal jurisdiction waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This includes the waters of the state of Tamaulipas (including Laguna Madre) and the northern region of the state of Veracruz (from the Tuxpan river and Tampamachoco lagoon to the Pánuco river).

In addition, mullet fishing (Mugil cephalus) in the coastal waters of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, and Jalisco, has been prohibited from December 1st until the end of January 2025.

The same restrictions apply to the fishing of circular scallops (Argopecten circularis) in the federal waters off the coastlines of Baja California and Baja California Sur, from mid-December until the end of March next year.

Conversely, the temporary ban on bobo fish (Joturus spp) fishing in the inland federal waters of the state of Veracruz ended on December 15th.

Several species also began their fishing season in December 2024. These include scallops (Pinna rugosa, Atrina maura, Atrina oldroydii, and Atrina tuberculosa) in the Bay of Kino and surrounding areas in Sonora. The pink conch (Lobatus gigas) season also began in December in the Banco Chinchorro reserve in Quintana Roo, including the ban zone from Punta Herrero, north of Mahahual, to Bacalar Chico, also known as “Canal de Zaragoza” along the Belize border. In the Biosphere Reserve of Los Angeles Bay, Whales and Salsipuedes Channels in Baja California, the commercial fishing season for brown and green octopus (Octopus bimaculatus and Octopus hubbsorum) started on December 1st, 2024.

Conapesca has also extended the octopus fishing season in the federal waters off the coastlines of Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo until the end of December 2024. After this date, octopus fishing will be suspended until the start of 2025 in these regions. These decisions were formalized in an agreement published on November 29, 2024, in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), based on the technical opinion of IMIPAS and the powers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.