Abstract

Campeche Bank is represented by the continental platform that surrounds the Yucatan Peninsula. There inhabits the red grouper, one of the most important fishing resources from the economic point of view for the state of Yucatan. This supports the 91.4% of the capture of the species in the country, and generates employments in a constant way for many coastal communities contributing foreign currencies for concept of exports. At the present time red grouper is captured in a sequential way by three fleets, two Mexicans and a Cuban fleet. Mexico occupies the first place in its capture at international scale, being the Campeche Bank its main distribution area in the world. The fishery is of free access for the Mexican fleet. Until now, it doesn’t exist a sustainable management plan for the fishery, only a recommendation of minimum size of 30 cm of total length. Since 2003, a close season capture was decreed from February 15 to March 15. For the Mexican fleet, it is necessary a permission of fishing of the Secretary of State and for the Cuban Fleet it is taking in consideration the Fishing Agreement established between the countries. From 1999 the resource has been considered overexploited and it is observed a decline of the captures and population's biomass. With the objective of assuring the recovery of this fishery it is carried out an analysis of the current situation of the resource, based also in the biological knowledge of the species. It is concluded that it is necessary to implement a group of management measures directed to reduce the capture of juvenile, reproducers and old adults of more reproductive power, diminishing the fishing effort, as well as to enlarge the protection of critical habitats of the species

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