Shrimp season is off to a great start!

Written on 31 Oct 11 at 6:52 pm by Murry Page

The Mazatlan Messenger

Catches have increased 193% this year.

  According to the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA) Mexico’s 2011-2012 shrimp season, which began on September 20th, is off to a great start.

  A part of this success is attributable to an increase in the number of shrimp vessels. On the first day of this season 665 shrimp boats left the docks. This compares favorably with the 537 trawlers that began last year’s season. Up through the middle of October shrimp boats from Sinaloa had a catch of 8,022 tons of shrimp. During the same period last season the catch was only 2,739 tons, resulting in a 193% increase.

  The catch in estuaries and bays are also significantly better than the prior season. The reported catch in those areas so far amount to 3,650 tons compared to 1,714 tons last year during the same period.

Although about half of the freezer trawlers are getting ready to leave for their second catch of the season, the cost to the fishermen is high. Almost 80% of their expenses are attributable to diesel fuel, which continues to increase. The second highest cost is food for the crew, as the freezer trawlers are at sea around a month at a time. Ricardo Michel Luna, president of the Union of Ship Owners, said that more than 4,000 workers are employed in the fishing industry in Mazatlán.