The Ministry of the Environment,in compliance with Ministerial Agreement No. 016 issued by the Undersecretary of Fisheries Resources, prohibits the capture, transportation, possession, processing and external marketing of red crab for one month, from August 15 to September 15 of each year, and informs the general public to refrain from consuming this resource during these dates, as it is a ban due to molting (change of shell).
The ban on catching red crabs was established to protect consumer health, as this is the time when the species molts. In other words, they are not suitable for human consumption because they secrete high concentrations of calcium oxalate, which is harmful to humans.
The Ministry of Environment will control and monitor with its personnel the Protected Areas “Mangroves Churute Ecological Reserve”, “Mangroves El Salado Wildlife Production Reserve” and “Mangroves El Morro Wildlife Refuge”.
The control and surveillance work will be supported by the Port Captaincy of Guayaquil, through the participation of a contingent of sailors, based in the Churute Mangroves Ecological Reserve and its dependencies.
For its part, the Undersecretariat of Fisheries Resources reported that fishing inspectors carry out joint work with the Environmental Police and the Ecuadorian Navy, monitoring landing ports, beaches, markets, restaurants and other sales sites.
Violations
The Director General of Fisheries, Hugo Vera Serrano, said that those who violate the Law will be placed under the orders of the General Directorate of Fisheries in accordance with Art. 79 of the Law on Fisheries and Fisheries Development or, if applicable, to the Prosecutor's Office and will be sanctioned in accordance with the Ecuadorian Penal Code.
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