Illegal fishing negatively impacts octopus reproduction

In the final stretch of the octopus-catching season in Yucatan, businessmen in the fishing sector reported that the production of the Mayan and Patón vulgaris varieties is declining due to predation and, now, the arrival of cold fronts.

Carlos Zacarías Curi declared that this situation generated a 25% decrease in the beachside cost of the octopod about 2022 since it is being paid at 90 or 94 pesos, while last year it ranged from 120 pesos.

The fishing businessman highlighted that, for the third consecutive year, octopus fishing faces challenges, since in 2020, the sector was seriously affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the drop in prices.

That year, they caught 13,034 tons of live octopus. Zacarías added that the 2021 season had a closure of almost 30 thousand tons of the mollusk, while, in 2022, the presence of red tide hit the sector, although they obtained nearly 20 thousand tons.

This 2023 could be one of the years with the lowest registration, says Carlos Zacarías reiterated that this 2023 the octopus catch has been low and one with the lowest registration in recent years, “there are boats that are no longer fishing octopus, and with cold fronts, the situation will be more difficult; “It has been a year of challenges.”

In his opinion, the main problem facing the octopus fishery is poaching and illegal fishing during the closed season, which is why it is necessary for the authorities linked to fishing affairs to redouble inspection and surveillance, both on the high seas and on the land.

TYT Newsroom