Abstract

Spiny lobster fishers in Yucatan have faced adverse environmental conditions through time, which have impacted lobster habitat and catches. Availability of natural refuges has been affected due to the processes of removal and transport of sandy materials covering habitats. One of the alternatives to face this situation was the introduction of hartificial habitats (“casitas cubanas”) to increase shelter for the crustacean and other marine organisms. A project promoted by local fishers and a governmental program was developed in four fishing communities involving five fishing cooperatives (more than 500 fishers) to address these issues. Implementation of the project involves: a) characterization of the marine bottom types where main fishing grounds are, b) construction and introduction of “casitas cubanas” in the fishing areas, c) improving skills to fish selectively using the devices through training courses, d) improving the infrastructure of the cooperatives to promote certification of their fishing plants. It is expected this initiative can improve the conditions of the fishery in an integrated way. Preliminary results of this project at different stages and the challenges that need to be faced by fishers, managers and scientists to deal with the current situation of the fishery are discussed in this paper

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