Playa del Carmen Fishermen Wait 10 Years for Permits

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Members of the Xaman Ha fishing cooperative continue to await a resolution from Mexico’s National Commission of Aquaculture and Fishing (Conapesca) after more than a decade of seeking permits for scale fishing along Playa del Carmen’s coastal waters.

A Decade-Long Administrative Delay

José Gómez Burgos, the cooperative’s representative, stated that the application for 12 fishing permits was submitted over ten years ago, yet no definitive response has been issued. Although documentation was updated in March 2025, the prolonged uncertainty has left the fishermen in limbo.

Alongside the permit process, the cooperative has emphasized the need for improved local fishing infrastructure. Key demands include the construction of a nautical staircase and a packing facility—projects they argue are essential to sustain their livelihoods amid Playa del Carmen’s rapid urban and tourism expansion.

Urban Growth Pressures Traditional Fishing

Gómez Burgos noted that the city’s growth has intensified challenges for traditional coastal fishing, forcing the sector to compete with booming economic activities tied to tourism. The Xaman Ha cooperative remains one of the few fishing groups still operating within the urban boundaries of the tourist hotspot.

Fishermen stress that legal permits alone are insufficient—they also require adequate infrastructure to remain viable in an increasingly tourism-dominated economy.