With just over a month left in this season, looks to be a banner year…

Photo Courtesy of Mario Ceh

Although fishing season for Panulirus argus, also known as the Caribbean spiny lobster, doesn’t officially end until February 28, 2019, Cozumel fisherman are already expecting a banner year.   Representatives from the Cozumel Fisherman’s Cooperative are reporting that 35  tons of lobster has already been harvested, which is actually the “end of season” goal.

In spite of repeated port closures, the 29 boats that comprise the Cooperative have already met their goal, and the nearly  50 families employed can look forward to the next month.

The lobster season comes to end on the last day in February, where lobster will remain out-of-season until July 1st.  This hiatus is to take into account their breeding season.

Caribbean spiny lobsters hatch from eggs that are carried on the female’s back for approximately 4 weeks.  Lobsters molt, or shed their hard exoskeleton as they grow and will undergo several moltings before reaching an adult size, which takes about 2 years.

During the lobster season Cozumel’s Fisherman’s Cooperative flash freezes the majority of the lobster catch so that island restaurants can continue to serve lobster during their reproductive season.

Los pescadores de la Isla cerca de lograr la meta en la captura de langostas

Aún queda poco más de un mesen esta temporada y parece que será un año sobresaliente  . . .

Photo Courtesy of Richard Russel

Si bien la temporada de pesca de la Panulirus argus, también conocida como la langosta espinosa del Caribe,  no concluye sino hasta febrero 28, 2019, los pescadores de Cozumel esperan que este sea un año excepcional. Los representantes de la Cooperativa de Pesca de Cozumel informan que ya han recolectado 35 toneladas de langosta, que e hecho es la meta “de final de temporada”.

A pesar de los repetidos cierres de puerto, las 29 embarcaciones que forman la Cooperativa ya han cumplido su meta, y las casi 50 familias que ahí laboran, pueden ver el siguiente mes con optimismo.

La temporada de langosta finaliza el último día de febrero, permaneciendo fuera de temporada hasta el 1º de julio. Este lapso se da para tomar en cuenta la época de apareamiento.

La hembra de la langosta espinosa del Caribe lleva a cuestas los huevos de sus crías durante 4 semanas, Las langostas mudan su duro exoesqueleto conforme van creciendo, y continúan haciéndolo hasta alcanzar la edad adulta, esto es, alrededor de 2 años. 

Durante la temporada de langosta la Cooperativa de Pesca de Cozumel congela gran parte de la langosta capturada para que los restaurantes de la Isla puedan continuar sirviendo langosta en la época de veda.

Laura Wilkinson
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