Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Fishermen from the Cozumel Cooperative have reported illegal lobster harvesting during the closed season that began March 1, threatening the species’ recovery in the region.
Pablo Catzín Pech, the cooperative’s administration secretary, said that while licensed fishermen respect the regulations, unlicensed individuals continue catching lobsters without control.
According to the complaint, the illegal harvesting ignores the minimum legal size of 13.5 centimeters, preventing lobsters from completing their biological cycle and compromising the resource’s sustainability.
Fishermen have also detected the sale of undersized lobsters on social media, where sellers offer up to 12 specimens per kilogram at low prices, raising concerns among local producers.
In response, the fishermen have requested intervention from Conapesca (National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries) and the Mexican Navy to strengthen surveillance at critical points including Cozumel and María Elena in the Bahía del Espíritu Santo.
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