The 2015-16 Puerto Peñasco shrimp season came to a close on February 29th, with the capture of 1500 tons of shrimp to round out the season.
According to data from the Office on Fishing Affairs of CONAPESCA, the 2015-16 season was deemed to have been a regular season overall.
Hermenegildo Ramírez, head of Fishing Affairs, indicated the off season for shrimp began 15 days earlier than usual due to factors such as shortages in the amount of shrimp, and climatic effects of El Niño.
“It has been a regular season, and nearly equal to years past with a yield of 1500 tons from the season, with coastal fishing yielding just 30 tons,” stated Ramírez.
He remarked hundreds of vessels took to shrimping the so called “pink gold” this year, along with 40 smaller boats. He specified that just as each year, poaching was no exception this season despite the presence of inspectors.
Blue, brown, and white shrimp of varying sizes are caught throughout the region, and have been well accepted in both national and foreign markets.
The shrimp season in Puerto Peñasco is generally from about mid-September to mid-March, though was officially closed this year on Feb. 29th.