Fishermen, civil organizations and trading companies in Yucatán are seeking international certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a badge that guarantees the sustainability of fisheries. With this accreditation, the Mayan octopus will access new international markets and, at the same time, will guarantee better incomes for fishing communities in the region.
In an interview with Randyr Castillo, president of the Octopus Alliance in Yucatán, A.C. and director of the company Congelados Jokara, as well as with Dr. Miguel Ángel Gamboa, scientific advisor to the project, they explained that this is the first time that this fishery has entered into a certification process in the state.
It is currently under evaluation with the Fishery Progress standards, a system that measures whether the activity meets sustainability criteria.
Castillo highlighted that one of the main attractions of certification is access to the European market because this gives them added value and in this way it is possible to give a better price to the product.
“Buyers in European countries often ask us if what we offer them is the right size, if it is fished artisanally and if the fishery will not be affected in the future,” he explained.
The octopus fishery is one of the most important in Mexico. Source: Claudia Novelo.
During the audit, civil organizations such as Community and Biodiversity (COBI) train fishermen to strengthen their practices. Recommendations include avoiding the participation of minors in activities, including women on an equal basis with men, paying equitable wages, respecting prohibitions and complying with minimum catch sizes.
The National Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture states that octopuses must be caught with a minimum size of 11 centimeters and a weight greater than 450 grams. Castillo stressed that complying with these measures and having the certification will give added value to the octopus fishery for sale abroad.
According to COBI studies, the octopus fishery in Yucatán is the most important in Mexico and one of the largest in the world, since it generates more than 15,000 direct jobs and positions the country as the first octopus producer in America and the third in the world. In 2021 alone, it reached a value of 250 million dollars.
As part of the certification process, work is also being done to update the octopus fishing management plan, which has been in force since 2014.
“It hasn't been finalized yet, but it's already in a more advanced process that we didn't have,” Gamboa explained.
Yucatec fishermen are involved in the certification process. Source: Claudia Novelo.
The project has been socialized with fishermen and with institutions such as the Mexican Institute for Research in Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture and the National Commission for Fisheries and Aquaculture. They also have the collaboration of research centers specialized in biological-fishery studies of octopus to estimate the population status of the species.
“All of this is for better fishing, all in favor of good management, conservation and preservation of the species,” said Gamboa.
Currently, in Yucatán, few processing plants are certified to send products to Europe, but it is expected that this process will help existing ones to adopt better practices.
The certification guarantees that octopus fishing is sustainable in the entity. Source: Claudia Novelo.
The Alliance for the Octopus in Yucatán brings together 17 cooperatives and trading companies located mainly in Progreso, El Cuyo, Celestún and Dzilam de Bravo.
“Of these, there are already those who ship to countries such as Spain, Greece, Italy, Russia, the United States and others, but with the certification of Mayan octopus, the price could increase,” Castillo said.
Every year, around 14,000 tons of octopus are exported from Yucatán, and this figure is expected to have a better sales price.
For fishermen like Carlos Andrés Gómez, from Celestún, certification means a seal of quality and an opportunity to secure their economic future.
“It's very important that the octopus is certified. In this process they give us advice, they give us a lot of information on how to manage the octopus fishery. We have also learned how we should clean the boat, the refrigerator and the entire process because that way we meet specific requirements. We are confident that this will bring better income for us,” he said.
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