Lobster Season Success in Punta Allen Amid Road Woes

Tulum, Mexico — The 2025 lobster fishing season in Punta Allen concluded with positive results for the Vigía Chico cooperative, which harvested between 40 and 45 tons of the crustacean since July. However, the productive success contrasts with a historical problem that continues to affect the sector: the deplorable condition of the access road to the community.

Alejandro Velázquez Cruz, financial spokesperson for the cooperative, reported that this year represented a positive balance both in terms of catch volume and market prices. He noted that until mid-December, sea conditions allowed for good fishing days, although the arrival of cold fronts in recent weeks prevented normal continuation.

“The season closure, thank God, is going well. I believe we have caught about 45 or 46 tons since July. We were fishing until early and mid-December, then the northerly winds started coming in and from then on we haven’t been able to go out, but even so we’ve done a bit better than last season, both in fishing and price,” he explained.

The season officially concludes in February, but according to Velázquez Cruz, the success of the closure will depend on weather behavior. He recalled that in recent years, the months of January and February have been affected by constant northerly winds, which limit boat departures. “Last year, for example, we could only fish once. Everything depends on having good weather,” he added.

The leader also highlighted that fishermen hope for a favorable closing price for lobster to compensate for days without activity and improve their income.

Nevertheless, he emphasized that the most serious problem is not at sea, but on land. The poor condition of the road to Punta Allen continues to complicate product transportation, directly affecting lobster commercialization.

“The road is terrible, that has always been the problem. The lobster trucks don’t want to enter because it’s in very bad condition; if it takes us two and a half hours to arrive, imagine a five-ton truck that can take almost six hours to get to Punta Allen,” he lamented.

This situation, he explained, causes delays, increases logistical costs, and risks product quality by making timely transfer to collection and commercialization centers difficult.

Finally, Velázquez Cruz reiterated the fishing community’s call for authorities to urgently address road rehabilitation. “It’s the only thing we’re always waiting for, for someone to repair our road,” he concluded.

Thus, Punta Allen fishermen face a season closure that, despite good catch numbers, once again highlights the need to resolve a problem that for years has limited the development of one of the region’s most emblematic cooperatives.