Slow Fish Caribe: Local Lobster Party in Mexico
20 Jan 2020

Slow Food debuted the traceability system for the Presidium of the spiny lobster of Banco Chinchorro and Sian Ka’an. The Slow Fish Local Lobster Party celebrated the event on November 29 at the Riviera Maya in “Fairmont Mayakoba” (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo).
The hotel hosted the dinner with the goal to join efforts on the international campaign of Slow Fish. Plus, to bring support to Taste Your Caribbean campaign working to protect the spiny lobster in Mexico.
Slow Food is implementing the Slow Fish Caribe, funded by the European Union, in collaboration with projects partners.
In Mexico with Amigos de Sian Ka’an and Colectividad Razonatura. in Colombia with Fundación Activos Culturales Afro (ACUA) and Corporación para el Desarrollo Sostenible del Archipiélago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina (CORALINA).
Meet your lobster fisherman
This innovative system of traceability (in Spanish) for this Presidium consists on an online platform that allows the user to have information about the lobster on the plate. Who, when, how and where the lobster was captured during the 2019-2020 season (closed season from March 1st to June 30th). The system also allows the user to scan the QR code on the headband that comes with the lobster with a mobile phone. The user is directed to the website tracing the lobster and describing the story of the fishermen.
Support sustainable lobster fishing in the Mexican Caribbean!
Consumers promote healthy reefs and fisheries for coastal communities, by purchasing lobsters labeled with this traceability system. This also promotes trust due to a close relationship between the local fishermen and the chefs, buyers and consumers.
Only six fishing cooperatives have the legal right to fish for spiny lobster along the coast of Quintana Roo. They are located within the Banco Chinchorro and Sian Ka’an Biosphere reserves. These coops are: Cozumel, Langosteros del Caribe, José María Azcorra, Vigía Chico, Andrés Quintana Roo y Banco Chinchorro. These authorized coops unite more than 219 fishermen. They are an example worldwide on promoting healthy and sustainable fisheries within natural protected areas with great environmental value.
Slow Fish Local Lobster Party
Thanks to the purchase of more than 400 lbs. of the spiny lobster by the hotel Fairmont Mayakoba, more than 230 guests had the opportunity to try this Caribbean tasty delight. Also thanks to the chef Karla Enciso, executive chef cooking school Pueblito Mayakoba, who prepared an incredible lobster ceviche with lemon and local varieties of chili peppers.
Mayan producers of the Yucatan Peninsula Slow Food Presidium offered tastings of their products. Guest asked questions and purchased products like pumpkin seed and stingless bee honey (Xunankaab). Representing these Presidium, the milpa producers of pumpkin seeds Manuel Dzib Dzib y Trinidad Puc Dzib, participated along with the stingless bee expert from the community Guadalupe Minelia Xiu.
The Slow Chiapas project with the Presidium of the Chiapas Milpa System also participated in the event. They brought a dessert that involves the artisanal corn tostadas from the women coop of Tostixim. The chef Estefania Garcia, volunteer chef for the operative office of Slow Food in Mexico (Comida Lenta A.C), prepared this dessert as a mousse with cacao tostada and coffee on a flourless sweetcorn biscuit (gluten free). The chef being native to Chiapas, got the idea from the humble late day snack. Sometimes eaten for dinner if families are very poor.
Blog & news
Contact Us
Get in touch
Do you have any questions or comments for our team? Don’t hesitate to get in touch!