The seasonal off-period for shrimp capture along the Pacific coast of Mexico has been in effect since March 23rd. This includes the just over 100 larger shrimping vessels from Puerto Peñasco.
This year’s off-season comes after 2022-2023 shrimp reports for the area recorded an overall yield of just 480 tons. With a recorded 920 tons from the previous season, there has been a 50% drop in shrimp production locally, meaning significant repercussions for families who live off fishing in the area.
In Puerto Peñasco, the 2022-23 shrimp season faced obstacles from the beginning, with half of the local shrimp fleet staying at dock due to high fuel costs and low commercial shrimp rates. Another looming problem for the local shrimp industry has been the U.S. fishing embargo in the Upper Gulf of California, in place as a way to prevent use of gillnets in an attempt to preserve the endangered vaquita marina. In turn, the U.S. fishing embargo has halted the export of shrimp and fish from the region into the U.S.
The off-shrimp period encompasses Mexico’s lagoons, estuaries, marshes, and bays along Mexico’s Pacific coast as well as the Gulf of California. The goal of the off-season is to protect the reproductive cycle of shrimp species of commercial importance. Shrimp season is expected to resume in mid-September as usual. Still, local Fishing Affairs officials insist on the urgency of reducing high-production costs and the need to end the U.S. embargo in the Upper Gulf to help ensure positive shrimp yields in the future.