Black Grouper Closure from February 15th 2016 until March 31st 2016; so Black Grouper is not in Season in our area, the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, in these days mentioned. In Spanish we say: Mero / Negrillo esta en Veda.
Closing the season for Grouper means no one is allowed to fish Grouper in Quintana Roo for 1.5 months; so whatever type of fishing you do, spearfishing, bottom fishing or fishing from shore; there is a 100% closure (Veda). Quintana Roo is the state we live in, with popular destinations like Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Puerta Aventuras, Tulum and Mahahual.
Black Grouper in our area spawns each year around March at predictable times and in predictable places. So the Mexican Government decided to have a fixed annual closed Grouper season (Veda). That is only about one month a year and in 2016 it lasts from February 15th until March 31st. We think that is great! Black Grouper can be left to reproduce. In other words, nice for Grouper itself. Nice for snorkelers and scuba divers. And nice for fishermen; so that we can have fish for the future.
It takes a long time for Grouper to reach maturity. Much longer than for example fish like Mahi Mahi and Triggerfish. This means that if a large number of mature Grouper adults are fished one year, it will take a long time before the Grouper population can return to normal. The size of the population can also be negatively affected if the fish are caught before they have had the chance to spawn. These characteristics combined with the relatively strong demand for Grouper fillet suggest that some measures simply had to be taken.
Balance is the key!
When you are here in Mexico, living or on vacation, just don’t eat Black Grouper during closure. Do not buy it. Do not order it in a restaurant. You might be told “No worries, it is Black Grouper / Mero / Negrillo from before the Closure. We froze it during the Season”. Hey… don’t fall for it, don’t take the chance. Fresh Grouper tastes so much better at the beginning of April, then frozen during closure. Something to look forward too!
So ladies and gentlemen, please respect the Black Grouper / Mero / Negrillo Season / Closure / Veda here in Mexico, and please also respect that we respect it. When you specifically like spearfishing for Black Grouper, join us when the Season opens again on April 1st, 2016.
Leo