Video Shows Man Illegally Harvesting Starfish in Cancún Hotel Zone

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Authorities are searching for a man captured on video illegally removing starfish from the waters of Cancún’s Hotel Zone, sparking outrage among conservationists and residents concerned about marine biodiversity.

The video, which circulated widely on social media, shows an individual extracting the protected marine creatures from the coastal area. Officials estimate that approximately 880,000 sea stars are illegally trafficked annually in Mexico, often sold to aquariums or as tourist souvenirs.

Alonso Fernández Lemmen Meyer, the environmental protection prosecutor for Quintana Roo, confirmed that authorities are actively seeking the individual shown in the footage. The case has been referred to the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa), the agency responsible for protecting wildlife.

Patricia Ocaña Luna, president of the College of Biologists of Quintana Roo, identified the species in the video as Oreaster reticulatus, which is protected under Mexico’s NOM-059-SEMARNAT regulation along with all species of the Hippocampus genus.

“Undoubtedly, overexploitation has put these species at risk, which is why they are now protected,” Ocaña Luna said. “Unfortunately, there are still irresponsible individuals seeking to profit from these specimens that play a crucial role in Caribbean reef ecosystems, even after they die.”

She emphasized that Mexican environmental regulations prohibit the capture, harm, or transport of starfish without special permits, with violations carrying potential fines and prison sentences.

The federal penal code specifically addresses such environmental crimes. Article 420, Section IV establishes that anyone who captures, possesses, transports, stores, or trades specimens of wildlife species at risk—such as Hippocampus species—without proper authorization commits a crime punishable by one to nine years in prison, fines equivalent to 300 to 3,000 days’ wages, and increased penalties for commercial purposes.