Lobster: Quintana Roo’s Top Commercial Seafood

Cancún, Mexico — Although lobster fishing is often difficult work that risks health with every dive, capturing a specimen in the Isla Mujeres and Holbox area is a gift from nature that translates to a payment of at least 500 pesos per kilogram and generates close to 150 million pesos annually for the state, according to data from the National Aquaculture and Fishing Commission (Conapesca).

Consequently, the crustacean is one of the state's main fishery products with significant commercial value, due to the high demand from the gastronomic sector, even during seasons like September when tourism is low.

Luis de la Cruz, a lobster catcher for three decades in Puerto Juárez, stated that returning from each trip with at least 20 kilos of this specimen implies "chipping away and chipping away at stone": moving away from the coast, diving, and persistently throwing the hook until successful.

According to his explanation, there are very good days when the sea provides up to 100 kilograms of this resource and others when 60 or maybe 20 kilograms are caught during the season for the Caribbean Sea, which begins on July 1 and extends until February 28, 2026.

He indicated that fortunately this year, meteorological conditions have not driven the species away, because in previous years storms and hurricanes have caused lobster to become scarce, forcing fishers to travel great distances to extract it.

"It's not like you arrive and the lobsters are waiting for you. It is very delicate work, as you need to know the depths, in addition to having strength and skill because sometimes the current carries them away, although traps are also used," stated the interviewee.

Ausencio Trujillo, another man who has been dedicated to this activity since the 1970s, emphasized that even though lobster is famous for being the most in-demand and having the highest commercial value, shrimp is far more profitable for him than this seafood.

"Capturing lobster is much more difficult, and although high prices are paid for it, the reality is that I find shrimp to be more profitable," he highlighted.

Upon reaching land in Puerto Juárez, the fishers already have their supplier waiting for them and for the fruits of the sea they can offer. Live lobster is required for display to diners in the most exclusive restaurants of Cancún, where it is offered for up to 1,200 pesos per kilogram.

Quintana Roo is among the states that produce lobster with the highest volume and value of catches, alongside Yucatán in the Caribbean, and Baja California Sur in the Pacific.