Abstract

The queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a large Caribbean gastropod mollusc which has been exploited for food and many other purposes since pre-Columbian times. It was also used during slavery for remote communication. It is still used as traditional food, and a tourist attraction delicatessen, its shell is used as music instrument, tourist curios and much more. Now, it is an endangered marine resource mainly because of over-fishing, but probably also because of destruction and pollution of its natural habitat. It is included in annex II of CITES that is charged only of international traffic but not of the local fisheries and trade. Each country is responsible for its protection and enforcement of protection regulation. In Mexico commercial fishery of S. gigas began in 50’s years and official catch data began in 1972. Fishery of S. gigas is practiced in the Yucatan Peninsula which comprises three States. This fishery is multi specific and its composition mainly consists of S. gigas in Quintana Roo and Xancus angulatus and Busycon contrarium in Campeche State. This work analyzed historical catches of S. gigas and its management regulations in Yucatan, Quintana Roo and Campeche States in order to understand why in Yucatan the fishery was closed in 1988 that continue up today. Catch in Quintana Roo is regulating by a temporal ban, a minimum catch size and annual quotas. Despite the ban, illegal conch catch is practiced in Alacranes Reef (National Park) and Chinchorro Bank (Biosphere Reserve). Campeche appears as the main conch production without regulations for catching conchs. The impact of the heterogeneity of management regulations for the conch in Mexico is analyzed and recommended a harmonization of management regulations, a enforcement of management regulations and an education program for teaching the communities involve with the conch, the importance of the resource and the severe damage of harvest that could result in stock collapse

PDF Preview