Quintana Roo Officials Consider Blue Crab Fishing Request in Chetumal Bay

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Officials are reviewing a request from fishers in Punta Catalán, Calderitas, to authorize blue crab harvesting in Chetumal Bay, an activity currently conducted on a limited basis.

Jorge Aguilar Osorio, head of the Secretariat of Agricultural, Rural, and Fisheries Development (Sedarpe), announced that the proposal is under analysis. He acknowledged it could diversify fishing activities and increase income for cooperatives but warned that an environmental study by Ibanqroo must first be completed to determine permitted management and capture models and ensure the resource use does not harm protected species or the ecological balance of the Manatee Sanctuary.

He clarified that this process aims to regulate the activity, establish controlled extraction volumes, and move toward a sustainable commercial fishing scheme with potential for larger-scale marketing or even export, if the study results allow.

“They requested the implementation of a formal blue crab capture program in Chetumal Bay, that we help them set traps, and if it is a productive alternative that allows diversifying fishing activity and generating higher income without compromising the environmental status of the area, then the proposal is in the technical and environmental analysis stage,” Aguilar Osorio said. “Since the Bay is part of the protected natural area Manatee Sanctuary, strict sustainability and conservation guidelines must be established to ensure capture does not affect the environment or other species.”

He recognized that blue crab has high commercial value in regional and national markets, representing a significant economic opportunity for fishers in the zone, especially given low catches of other species, fishing bans, and recurrent impacts from environmental phenomena.

But he reiterated that manatee protection is a decisive factor in decision-making, so no actions violating environmental legislation will be taken.

“We will not do anything that violates any environmental law; we have to respect the law, and of course, the Bay has a basic environmental impediment as it is a manatee sanctuary, so we must see how not to contravene that situation,” he added.

He said they are holding talks with producers to find a balance between economic development and environmental conservation and reach agreements so they can harness the potential of blue crab, a species abundant in Chetumal Bay.