Quintana Roo Conch Season Opens November 1 and Runs Through April 2027

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Conch fishing opens along the Quintana Roo coast on Sunday, November 1, and will run through April 30, 2027, the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conapesca) announced.

The season is one of seven fishing periods the agency has scheduled to begin in November across Mexico. Conapesca, which operates under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the dates are set using technical recommendations from IMIPAS, the Mexican Institute for Research on Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, to protect breeding cycles while keeping fishing communities working.

Queen Conch Remains Off-Limits in Two Areas

The general season does not cover every species or zone. Conapesca said the harvest of queen conch (Lobatus gigas) stays banned until November 30, 2026, in Banco Chinchorro and in the area stretching from Punta Herrero, north of Mahahual, to Bacalar Chico.

Fishers must observe those site-specific restrictions even though the broader season is open, the agency said.

Lobster, Oyster and Mullet Seasons Also Begin

Alongside conch in Quintana Roo, Conapesca said new harvest periods open for lobster on the Baja California peninsula, oysters in Tabasco, and lisa and liseta mullet in Tamaulipas. Seasons for ostión de placer and langostino will also start in other parts of the country.

The agency said lobster harvesting began October 31 in Zone IV, which covers federal waters of the Gulf of California along the Sonora and Sinaloa coasts and from Nayarit south to Chiapas.

Other fisheries face closures instead. Mullet fishing is prohibited from November 1 to December 31, 2026, off Colima, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas. For certain tuna vessels, a ban applies in Pacific waters from November 9, 2026, to January 11, 2027.

How to Report Illegal Fishing

Conapesca urged fishers to respect the authorized catch periods to protect commercial stocks and the industry in Quintana Roo. Reports of illegal fishing or violations of closed seasons can be made by phone at 669 915 6913 or through SIDEPI, the agency’s illegal fishing complaint system, which accepts reports 24 hours a day year-round.