Agricultural Runoff Stalls Aquaculture Development in Southern Quintana Roo

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Agricultural chemicals washing into Chetumal Bay from the Rio Hondo basin are blocking the development of large-scale fishing and aquaculture in southern Quintana Roo, state officials said.

Jorge Aguilar Osorio, secretary of the state Department of Agricultural and Fisheries Development (Sedarpe), said rainwater runoff carries excess nutrients and synthetic inputs — particularly from sugarcane fields — into the bay, altering the marine ecosystem.

The ecological degradation, combined with the area’s legal protection as the Manatee Sanctuary, has prevented authorities from approving commercial aquaculture projects, including a proposed crab farming and marketing operation. Federal regulators require certification that the water is free of toxins before authorizing any captive species exploitation, citing public health concerns.

To address the issue, Sedarpe is promoting a shift to organic farming by establishing local biofactories that will supply farmers with natural alternatives to chemical fertilizers. The department stressed that current small-scale coastal fishing does not pose a poisoning risk to the public, but industrial-scale operations require rigorous scientific assessment.

The state has requested support from the Mexican Institute for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (IMIPAS), whose technicians will travel to Chetumal to take water samples. The lab results will help determine which activities are permissible in the bay and whether the water is clean enough for investment projects.

Given the strict federal oversight in the protected area, officials are considering relocating the crab farming infrastructure to less environmentally pressured water bodies, with Laguna Guerrero emerging as a viable option. Sedarpe has scheduled a virtual meeting with the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conapesca) later this month to review preliminary findings and define the regional fisheries strategy.