15 Feb Workshop on Sustainable Management of Spiny Lobster
On January 31, 2017, CCRN graduate student Maren Headley, from Marist University-Merida, attended a workshop on the “Sustainable Management of the Quintana Roo Spiny Lobster Fishery”. The workshop took place in Chetumal-Quintana Roo and was organized by the civil association Community and Biodiversity (COBI) and the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA) of Mexico. The workshop’s objectives were to share and evaluate the work completed during 2016 regarding the spiny lobster population and fishery status, and jointly design a work plan for 2017 based on a fishery improvement program (FIP).
Participating in the meeting were academics, NGOs, the government and six fisher cooperatives. The cooperatives of Vigía Chico, José María Azcorra, and Cozumel operate in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, while Andrés Quintana Roo, Banco Chinchorro and Langosteros del Caribe operate in the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve.
Catching up during the workshop: Maren Headley (left), the Secretary of Vigia Chico Cooperative-Emilio Mendoza Perez (center), and the President of the Vigia Chico Cooperative-Manuel Mendoza (right).
Together, these six cooperatives are a model for sustainable fishery management and have been recognized both nationally and internationally. The cooperatives in the Sian Ka’an reserve average an annual total catch of 220 tonnes, while those in the Banco Chinchorro reserve average 60 tonnes. The majority of the spiny lobster fishery products are sold regionally to the tourism sector in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel.
The workshop concluded that the spiny lobster population was healthy in 2016 and the fishery was operating sustainably. The program for 2017 will be focused on:
- Generating information about the population of the spiny lobster.
- Investigating the effects of the fishery on the ecosystem with a focus on habitats.
- Improving market access.
- Promoting the application of fishing regulations and improving surveillance.
- Implementing a traceability program for the lobster fishery.
Maren has been working with the Vigía Chico cooperative in the Punta Allen community since 2013 and her research outputs will provide key insights into how these fishers maintain sustainable catches and profits, and the influence of habitats on fishing effort and catches.