Yucatán Fishing Sector Achieves Record Year with Safety Programs

Yucatán, Mexico — The year 2025 was described as extraordinary for Yucatán’s fishing and aquaculture sector, as catch goals were met in seasons like the octopus season that ended last month, and more fishermen benefited from flagship programs of the Maya Renaissance initiative.

This was achieved through the delivery of engines, the sea safety program, support during fishing bans, among other initiatives, which strengthened the economy and stability of coastal fishing families.

Lila Frías Castillo, Secretary of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture of Yucatán (Sepasy), stated in an exclusive interview with POR ESTO! that all programs for fishermen and those who cultivate aquatic species are not coincidental or random actions. For the first time in the state, there is a fixed direction in real public policies that benefit the thousands of people who support their families daily through these productive activities.

The official asserted that among the main achievements is the increase in support from the Respect for the Fishing Ban Program, which rose from 4,800 to 6,000 pesos, representing a 25 percent total increase during this year. It is intended that in 2026 it will increase by 10 percent more, so beneficiaries receive up to 6,600 pesos per month during seasons when species capture is prohibited.

She added that this increase also considers the care of the three main species in the state: grouper, Mayan octopus, and lobster.

She stated that Yucatán consolidated itself as a leading state at the national level by having a program that supports and cares for fishermen’s safety, such as Safety at Sea. To date, this program has reached more than 3,500 vessels, which were equipped with life jackets and marine VHF communication radios, as well as an antenna so sector workers can communicate with their colleagues, port captains, and authorities.

The Fisheries Secretary said there are already success cases regarding vessels benefited by Safety at Sea, as crew members of some of them have reported through this equipment and have been rescued by their colleagues or authorities.

Similarly, she explained that in the state, work is being done specifically to increase the number of aquaculture farms, especially for tilapia, which is the most produced species in the entity. The intention is that in addition to the economic support fishermen receive during ban seasons, they have a marketing option that, besides being inexpensive in all its production processes, can be sold at a good price, is sustainable, and environmentally friendly.

Finally, Frías Castillo commented that increasing support for the sector she leads benefits more and more people, while also opening a larger window of opportunities, which helps improve these programs to make them increasingly accessible, thereby helping more people.