Mexico Halts Fishing for Seven Species to Protect Breeding Cycles

Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), through the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (CONAPESCA), has implemented closed fishing seasons for seven commercially significant marine species through February, as part of efforts to safeguard reproductive cycles and promote long-term food security. The measure will affect fishing activity across 10 coastal states and is intended to curb overexploitation while allowing fish stocks to recover naturally.

The restrictions differ by species and region and apply to some of the country’s most active fishing areas, including Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Veracruz, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo. CONAPESCA said the measures are designed to balance environmental protection with economic sustainability, stressing the importance of keeping producers and consumers informed about which species are subject to temporary bans to avoid penalties and ensure compliance.

Species included in the February closures are lisa and liseta, which are entering key reproductive phases; grouper, a cornerstone of Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean fisheries; whitefish, which requires additional protection to support stock regeneration; spiny lobster, one of Mexico’s most valuable crustaceans; queen conch, which remains under strict controls to prevent excessive harvesting; and the geoduck clam, subject to a targeted ban in Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, from Feb. 10 to April 30.

 Federal authorities emphasized that the closures do not amount to a full suspension of fishing activity. The capture of other species remains permitted under existing management frameworks, provided biodiversity is not compromised. Abalone and mullet, for example, may continue to be harvested in designated zones. In parallel, the pleasure oyster season in southern Teacapán, Sinaloa, is scheduled to open on Feb. 16, offering an alternative source of legal income for coastal communities during the closure period.

CONAPESCA said it will reinforce inspection and surveillance efforts at landing sites, collection centers and fishing zones to ensure compliance with the bans and prevent illegal fishing and trade during the restricted periods.

The new closures build on a broader set of regulatory measures governing Mexico’s fisheries. In December 2025, CONAPESCA authorized the harvesting of pen shell (Pinna rugosa, Atrina oldroydii, Atrina maura and Atrina tuberculosa) in Bahía de Kino, Sonora, from Dec. 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Harvesting of queen conch (Lobatus gigas) is permitted in Banco Chinchorro, Quintana Roo, between Dec. 1, 2025, and Jan. 31, 2026.

In Baja California, the fishing season for two-spot octopus (Octopus bimaculatus) will remain open through July 2026, while Octopus hubbsorum may be harvested through August 2026. The bobo mullet (Joturus spp.) is authorized for capture in inland waters of Veracruz from Dec. 16, 2025, to Sep. 30, 2026.

At the same time, a closed season for Catarina scallop (Argopecten circularis) is in effect in Baja California and Baja California Sur from Dec. 15, 2025, to March 31, 2026. Striped and white mullet (Mugil cephalus and Mugil curema) face a full-month ban in Tamaulipas and northern Veracruz during December 2025, while a broader closure for Mugil cephalus applies along the Pacific coast from Baja California to Jalisco from Dec. 1, 2025, to Jan. 31, 2026.

These measures align with a growing push by state and federal authorities to strengthen the resilience of Mexico’s coastal ecosystems in the face of climate change and resource depletion. In July, Sinaloa launched the country’s first State Climate Action Plan for Fisheries and Aquaculture, which promotes adaptive management tools — including flexible closed seasons — to support sustainable production and the long-term viability of at-risk species.