Evidence of illegal fishing of Octopus maya in the Campeche Bank, Southern Gulf of Mexico

The Mayan octopus Octopus maya, endemic to the Campeche Bank (CB) in the southern Gulf of Mexico, sustains an important fishery in Yucatan, Mexico. Fishers recognize it as the “fishery of hope”, but this fishery is under threat due to the IUU fishing. The objective of this work was to document the first evidence of the IUU fishing of Mayan octopus during two months in the closed fishing season of 2023. From May to June 2023, we counted the number of vessels, which were extracting octopus through diving with compressor (illegal gear), Gareteo (legal gear during open season), and Camacheo (illegal). Out of 230 vessels sighted, 158 vessels used dive compressor off the coasts of Celestún and Sisal, Yucatán, with the highest concentration of vessels and 32 off the Campeche coast. We estimated an average daily catch of nearly 6 ton of octopus, including all catches with three fishing techniques, extracted mainly from areas where the octopus reproduce. We emphasize the urgency for the Mexican federal government to improve the fishery management to deter fishing octopus during the closed season. We propose traceability and eco-labelling tools, engaging all stakeholders in the fishery value chain, and incorporating a crime science approach, which could provide insights for prevention and detection of the IUU fishing. This approach could be essential for effective fishery management decisions and hopefully to guarantee the long-term sustainability and conservation of Mayan octopus in the CB.