IS LOBSTER FISHING A PROFITABLE ACTIVITY? CONTRIBUTION OF SUPPLEMENTARY FISHING IN THE INCOME OF FISHERMEN CABRERA MIGUEL A., SALAS SILVIA, VELÁZQUEZ-ABUNADER IVÁN
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional Carretera Antigua a Progreso Km 6 Mérida, Yucatán, México
[email protected]
INTRODUCTION The eastern region of Yucatan, is one of the most important spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fishing areas (Figure 1). Around 751 fishermen and 497 boats from three fishing ports participate in the fishery. It has been documented that fishing has been one of the main factors in the deterioration of the stock. However, other factors like climatological and red tide events, have had an impact in lobster availability and available fishing days with the implicit effect on the revenues from fishers. The lobster fishery can be defined as a multispecies fisher, its profitability is based on the high value of this species, but other species are captured in the same fishing trips, these species are considered relevant in the generation of the revenues provided to fishermen in the region.
OBJECTIVE To analyze the impact of the capture of complementary species (CE) on the economic income of the lobster fishermen, and on the profitability of lobster fishery in the eastern region of Yucatán.
Figure 1. a) Lobster fishing area in eastern of Yucatán Peninsula, b) Complementary species landed by lobster divers: From left to right: Hogfish, red grouper and red octopus.
Complementary species in Lobster Fishery from eastern of Yucatan Lobster fishermen in Yucatan target several species in their journey in addition to the main target (lobster). Diving with Hookah offers a high opportunity of catching other valuable species, which are locally named complementary species. These species contribute to the catch value of each trip, to supplement divers income from their fishing trips. Catches of these species represent between 30% to 90% of the total catch, depending on the month and the fishing zone (DOF 2014). Most important species in lobster fishing in the eastern region of Yucatan
MATERIAL AND METHODS Daily data on catches from 4 groups of lobster fishermen in three ports of the eastern zone of Yucatan were considered in this study: San Felipe, Rio Lagartos (2), and El Cuyo. NUMBER OF VESSELS PARTICIPATING IN THE FISHING SEASON
ECONOMIC AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF THE FISHERY
FISHING EFFORT
(2010-2011)
LOBSTER SEASON
•DAILY CATCH PER FISHER
PRICE AND VALUE OF SPECIES LANDED TOTAL COSTS (VARIABLE AND FIXED)
NUMBER OF FISHING DAYS NUMBER OF TRIPS UNDERTOOK DURING FISHING SEASON CATCH AND VALUE OF LOBSTER AND COMPLEMENTARY SPECIES NET INCOME / LOBSTER TRIP NET INCOME PER TRIP , TOTAL CATCH (LOBSTER + CE)
Epinephelus morio Red Grouper (Mero Rojo)
Lachnolaimus maximus Hogfish (Boquinete)
Mycteroperca bonaci Black Grouper (Negrillo)
Table 1. Economic indicators (USD) from the lobster fishery in the eastern zone of Yucatán during 2010-2011 fishing season. Total Cost Locality /trip San Felipe 78.5 Rio Lagartos (RL) 77.4 Rio Lagartos (CP) 67.6 El Cuyo 73.5
Lobster Net Income Income/Trip Lobster $ 65.7 -12.9 $ 32.9 -44.5 $ 50.1 -17.6 $ 47.4 -26.1
Other Species Income/Trip
Total Income/Trip
Total Net Income
175.4 6.0 20.7 25.0
241.1 38.9 70.8 72.4
162.6 - 38.5 3.1 - 1.1
CONCLUSIONS RESULTS Fishermen worked only 66% of the 243 days available for fishing season 478 vessels participate in the fishing season 70,239 fishing trips were undertook during the fishing season Red grouper 66%, hogfish (28%) and black grouper (6%) were most abundant complementary species. 1.2
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 -
Red Grouper
CATCH VALUE (million USD)
LANDINGS (ton)
• • • •
Hogfish Lobster Black Grouper
RL
CP
3. A reduced volume of complementary species generated income loss in Rio Lagartos-RL fishers.
0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 SF
EC
RL
LOCALITY
CP
EC
LOCALITY
RIO LAGARTOS
EL CUYO SAN FELIPE
JUL
AGO
SEP
OCT
NOV
4. The fishery based exclusively on lobster is far from being profitable, the contribution of other species in a fishing trip generate a positive balance in the fishing trips and hence in the profitability of the fishery in the region. 5 . Catch reduction of lobster and other species drives fishermen to increase the volume of other species in order to maintain their income.
12
CEPEDA PERAZA
CATCH PER TRIP (KG)
FISHING TRIPS
Landings and catch value of spiny lobster and complementary species landed by lobster divers in the study area. SF (San Felipe), RL (Río Lagartos), CP (Cepeda Peraza), EC (El Cuyo).
4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0
2. When the value of complementary species where included in the balance, in at least two localities (San Felipe, Rio Lagartos-CP), fishermen obtained positive revenues.
1.0
0.0 SF
1. The analysis of net income by fishing trip, showed that the lobster fishery including only lobster as a target specie, can generate red numbers (Table 1). In all localities fishermen lost between 16 to 57 % of the capital investment per fishing trip.
Red grouper
10
Hogfish
8
Lobster
6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To fisheries cooperatives from the eastern region of Yucatan for access to their logbooks.
Black grouper
4 2 0
DIC
JAN
FEB
FISHING SEASON
Fishing trips undertook through the fishing season by locality
SF
RL
CP
EC
LOCALITY
Catch of different species per trip by fishing cooperative.
REFERENCES DOF 2014. ACUERDO por el que se da a conocer el Plan de Manejo Pesquero para la langosta espinosa (Panulirus argus) de la Península de Yucatán. Diario Oficial de la Federación 13/03/2014.
