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Caribbean nations set staggered 2026 lobster fishing bans
Various Caribbean nations and Mexico have established staggered fishing bans for the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) for 2026 to protect the species during its reproductive cycle.
Specific schedules include: • Dominican Republic and Panama: March 1 to June 30, 2026. • San Andrés (Colombia): April 1 to June 30. • Jamaica: April 1 to June 30, 2026. • Mexico: July 1, 2026, to February 28, 2027, covering Panulirus argus, Panulirus guttatus, and Panulirus laevicauda in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean waters.
The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) identifies the March-to-June period as a critical reproductive stage. While the CRFM advocates for coordinated regional management, individual national authorities determine specific dates and requirements to ensure population recovery and sustainable commercial use.
Entities
Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism · Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario · Panulirus argus
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The ICA has set a lobster ban in San Andrés from April 1 to June 30. buenaventuraenlinea.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Mexico has banned the capture of Panulirus argus, Panulirus guttatus, and Panulirus laevicauda from July 1, 2026, to February 28, 2027. buenaventuraenlinea.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The CRFM identifies the period from March to June as the reproductive stage for the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus). buenaventuraenlinea.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Jamaica has set a fishing closure from April 1 to June 30, 2026. buenaventuraenlinea.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Dominican Republic and Panama have established a lobster fishing ban from March 1 to June 30, 2026. buenaventuraenlinea.com