By José Antonio Pérez
After learning the off-season for shrimp would wind up Sept. 8th for coastal fishermen, and Sept. 16th for deep sea fishing, the nearly 100 boats of the Puerto Peñasco fleet have been working full steam ahead to get ready, though half of them are practically set to head out to sea, reported Mateo López León, Secretary of the National Chamber of the Fishing Industry (CANAINPESCA).
López León expressed, however, the dates set may run the risk of starting the season with low yields as there are indications shrimp are still quite small. He believed, based on experience from recent years, about 70% of the fleet would depart on September 12th, making their way to other ports for the start of the season, while the rest would depart directly from Puerto Peñasco on September 16th.
The CANAINPESCA Secretary again cautioned information points to the possibility of low yields with the shrimp season beginning Sept. 8th for coastal fishing, and Sept. 16th for deep-sea maneuvers. He stated, ideally the deep-sea season would have begun between Sept. 20th – 30th, however the final decision will be respected. Still, waiting to open the season would not have necessarily meant better conditions or even better yields.
López León estimates the local 2017-2018 shrimp season may bring in between 1200 and 1500 tons.