Supported by FAO, Mexico is developing alternative uses for bycatch from industrial shrimp fisheries
As part of the partnerships made under the umbrella of the REBYC-II LAC project, teaching and research institutions, the Center for Technological Studies of the Sea of Campeche and FAO, participated in the development of alternatives uses for bycatch species from the shrimp trawl fishery, which were until now discarded. The objectives of this collaboration included the development of value-added food products, such as nuggets, sausages and fish silage. Likewise, it also allowed the training of students, teachers and fishermen in the use of species that currently have no commercial use.
In this activity, framed within component number 3 of the REBYC-II LAC project, "Promote sustainable and equitable livelihoods through diversification and innovation", the Centro Tecnologico del Mar (CETMAR 02) along with the Instituto Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura (INAPESCA) and the Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), have developed a new sausage formula that serves as bait for the octopus fishery.
One of the alternatives for taking advantage of the bycatch of the shrimp trawl fishery is this new formula for octopus bait, which will reduce the impact on wild species that are currently used for bait (mainly crabs). Considering that the octopus fishery is the most important in the Yucatan peninsula, this action could potentially bring great ecological benefits, by reducing the fishing effort on the species currently used as bait and providing an alternative use to the bycatch that is currently discarded back to the sea.
It is expected that in the near future this new bait will be available for performance testing by the fishing sector and may eventually be commercialized regionally.