December 22, 2011

 

Mexican fisheries-aquaculture production to stay stable

 

 

The National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conapesca) expects fisheries and aquaculture production to total 1,646,000 tonnes in weight this year, 1.7% more than in 2010, when 1,620,000 tonnes were obtained.

 

According to José Guadalupe Trujillo Jiménez, director general of Planning, Programming and Evaluation of the Commission, it is expected to close the year with an increase in catches of sardines, thanks to the good conditions in the water temperature and to food availability.

 

In addition, he stressed that the shrimp was also favoured in the 2011 to 2012 fishing season, mainly in northwestern Mexico, showing a 4.8% growth over the previous period.

 

And the octopus in the Yucatan Peninsula had a very good start to the season.

 

It is hoped that during this season 12,071 tonnes of octopus maya was captured, as it has been estimated by the National Fisheries Institute (Inapesca).

 

According to the official from Conapesca, tuna specimens recorded good catches during this year: 139,000 tonnes of the different species of tuna. This volume was achieved due to the stability in the temperature changes in the fishing grounds, suitable salinity and low turbidity of the water.

 

Conapesca estimates that by the end of 2011, about 672,000 tonnes of sardine will be obtained, which represents 41% of the total Mexican production.

 

However, the authority warns that the abundance of this species is influenced by variations in water temperature resulting from the phenomena of El Niño and La Niña.

 

The shrimp ranks in second place in terms of production this year, with 173,000 tonnes.

 

The available information indicates that 26% of the total (46,000 tonnes) was provided by the shrimp caught high at sea, 15% (26,000 tonnes) by coastal fisheries and 58% (101,000 tonnes) by the harvests.

 

Tuna specimens (tuna, skipjack and bonito) are the third group of species as to importance in terms of production and together account for 8% of the total volume.

 

Until the second week of December 2011, about 139,000 tonnes of tuna specimens caught in the Pacific coast were registered.