Abstract

The queen conch (Lobatus gigas), is a large gastropod mollusk known mostly for its economic importance in commercial and artisanal fishing, in addition to its representativeness in Caribbean culture and society. In Mexico, the pink snail is located around the Yucatan Peninsula, distributed along the coastal area of the state of Quintana Roo and on the sandbars near Isla Contoy, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Banco Chinchorro, and in the Yucatan state there is a population in Alacranes Reef. Currently, fishing for this mollusk is only allowed in the Biosphere Reserve of Banco Chinchorro. The National Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INAPESCA), has carried out assessments of the snail population in this site since 1989 and due to the decline of the queen conch populations in 2012, a ban of almost 5 years was decreed for the recovery of the resource and it was not until March of 2017 that the fishery was opened again. Currently, fishing is carried out by approximately 100 fishermen in 30 vessels, belonging to three fishing cooperatives "Langosteros del Caribe", "Pescadores de Banco Chinchorro", and "Andrés Quintana Roo." The closed season in Mexico includes a period of 8 months, from May to November and February However, a previous study is necessary to determine the fishing quota, in 2017 a quota of 9 tons of queen conch pulp or meat was granted, which was captured in 3 effective days of fishing The dynamics of fishing in the Biosphere Reserve of Banco Chinchorro is very peculiar. This work describes the catch that was made in January 2018 and includes an analysis of catches by boat, cooperatives, fishing areas, yields and catch sizes (Siphonal length and lip thickness).

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