Local Seafood at La Saladita: What's in Season and What's Closed

Local seafood
through the year

Lobster and rock oyster come from the rocks of this stretch of coast, and snapper and jack come in on handlines all year. Each has its own closed season (veda) set in federal law. Shrimp is not part of the local catch, and none of Guerrero's main coastal lagoons lies in La Unión.

Status on October 27: Lobster closed, reopens October 31; river prawn closed, reopens November 1; rock oyster and sea shrimp open; lisa open until October 31.

Lobster and oysters from the rocks, fish from the pangas

La Saladita sits at the southeast end of La Unión's fishing area, which runs from Petacalco to Troncones. The federal fisheries institute lists its catch as "huachinango, pargo, cocinero, sierra y jurel, además de tiburón y langosta", with oysters and sea snails in smaller amounts.[4] Shrimp is not on the list.

Photo: Alberto Alcalá, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Spiny lobster

Langosta azul, langosta verde Panulirus inflatus, P. gracilis

Closed July 1 to October 30, every year. Open October 31 to June 30.[5]

Where it comes fromRocky and sandy bottom down to 30 m. La Unión is one of four Guerrero municipalities with the most lobster fishing. Fishers free-dive at night with a hook,[4] a method authorized for Guerrero in March 2026.[6]

Legal size75 mm carapace (head shell) length.[7] The average lobster landed in Guerrero measures 74–76 mm, right at the limit.[4]

Whole lobster, alive or on ice, from October 31 to June 30
Females carrying eggs (an orange mass under the tail). The national standard says to return them to the sea;[7] the 2026 Guerrero rule caps them at 20% of a trip's catch.[6]
Fresh lobster offered July to October

Photo: Sinaloa Silvestre, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Rock oyster

Ostión de roca, ostión de piedra Striostrea prismatica (Crassostrea iridescens)

Closed June 1 to August 31, every year, Sinaloa to Chiapas. Since 2023 the same dates cover all of Guerrero.[8]

Where it comes fromDivers pry it off rocks at 3–15 m, free-diving or on a hookah compressor. It brings in more money than any other shellfish on the Costa Grande, and diving peaks from January to May.[3] December is the month of highest demand.[8] The federal fisheries institute's 2012 book found it scarce at many sites that once yielded large volumes.[4]

Legal size90 mm shell length.[8]

Oysters at least 90 mm long, September to May
Cooked oysters when in doubt: cooking kills Vibrio bacteria (not red-tide toxin; see Safety)
Raw oysters during a red-tide advisory or after heavy rain near a river mouth

Photo: Sannidhishetty, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (photographed in India)

Shrimp from the sea

Camarón de mar Penaeus spp.

2026: closed March 3, reopened October 7. A new DOF agreement sets the dates each year.[9][10]

Where it comes fromThe Pacific closure covers every shrimp species in federal marine waters, Guerrero included. La Unión's small-boat fleet does not list shrimp among its catch,[4] so shrimp sold here is brought in. No source says from where.

The lawCatching, moving or selling more than 10 kg of shrimp or lobster without authorization is a federal crime, in or out of season.[1]

Fresh sea shrimp from October 7 until the next closure is published
"Fresh-caught" sea shrimp from March to early October

Fisherman throwing a cast net in a mangrove lagoon, Nayarit

Photo: Tomas Castelazo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Nayarit)

Shrimp from lagoons

Camarón de estero Penaeus spp.

No published closed season for Guerrero lagoons. The 2026 reopening names lagoons in six other states and none in Guerrero.[10]

Where it comes fromGuerrero's main coastal lagoons are Coyuca, Chautengo, Tres Palos, Potosí, Nuxco and Tecomate; none is in La Unión. The nearest, Barra de Potosí, about 50 km southeast, opens its sandbar to the sea in the rainy season.[4]

Why it's unclearThe 2025 agreement's title limits the lagoon closure to Sonora and Sinaloa, but its article 2 reads "lagoon-estuary systems … of the Pacific coast".[9] CONAPESCA's office in Guerrero can say which applies.

Photo: Alberto Alcalá, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

River prawn

Chacal, langostino Macrobrachium americanum, M. tenellum

Closed August 1 to October 31, every year, in every river on the Pacific slope.[11]

Where it comes fromRivers and streams. Larvae grow in the brackish water of estuaries and the young prawns migrate upriver; they breed in the rainy season.[12] "Chacal" is the Guerrero name.[13] The streams that reach the sea at La Saladita are short and unnamed on maps; no source documents a prawn fishery on them.

Legal sizeNone set.[14]

November to July
August to October

Photo: Helmy oved, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Mullet

Lisa, liseta (lebrancha) Mugil cephalus, M. curema

Lisa closed November 1 to December 31. Liseta closed May 15 to July 15. Both every year, Colima to Chiapas.[15]

Where it comes fromCoast, river mouths and lagoons. Statewide, mullet ranked with oyster as the second-largest catch after huachinango (2000–2011).[4]

Legal sizeLisa 30 cm, liseta 28 cm total length.[14]

Photo: Kris-Mikael Krister, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (Costa Rica)

Sharks and rays

Tiburón, cazón, raya all species

Closed May 1 to July 31, every year, across the Pacific.[16]

Where it comes fromShark is part of La Unión's landings.[4] Small sharks are sold as cazón.

Never legalWhale shark, basking shark, white shark, sawfish and giant mantas, in any month.[17]

MercuryU.S. health agencies advise people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and children, to avoid shark and marlin.[18]

Photo: Alberto Alcalá, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Octopus

Pulpo Octopus hubbsorum

No closed season in Guerrero. The only Pacific octopus closure is in Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California.[14]

Where it comes fromDivers take it with a hook from rocks and caves. Its main fishing season is May to August, and it ranks first in demand and value among Guerrero's shellfish.[4]

Photo: juanrrx, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Ecuador)

Fish, all year

Pescado de la panga snappers, sierra, jacks, snook

No closed season for Pacific snappers, sierra or snook.[14]

Where it comes fromHandlines from pangas. On the Costa Grande, huachinango makes up 36% of the fish catch.[4]

The fish, and when they're best

HuachinangoLutjanus peru · Pacific red snapper. Top grade. Comes closer to shore in the cool season, when it is over half the catch.Best November to April. Spawns April–May, when demand is highest.[4]

Flamenco, lunarejoLutjanus guttatus · spotted rose snapper. Top grade. Leads the catch in the warm season.Best in the rainy season.[4]

Pargo amarillo, colmillón, listoncilloL. argentiventris, L. jordani, L. colorado · other snappers. Second grade.Pargos are rainy-season fish.[4]

SierraScomberomorus sierra · Pacific sierra. Second grade.Close to shore November to February, most in November to January.[4]

Cocinero, jurelCaranx caballus · green jack. Cheaper everyday fish, common in the catch.All year.[4]

RobaloCentropomus spp. · snook. Second grade.Rainy-season fish.[4]

Dorado, marlin, sailfish, roosterfishReserved by law for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles of the coast.[19]Not a commercial catch here.

TunaThunnus albacares · yellowfin. The federal tuna closures apply only to large purse seiners and longliners.[20]No closure for small boats.

Four checks at the counter

Check the month. Fresh lobster in July to October, rock oyster in June to August, or river prawn in August to October was caught in a closed season.

Lobster whole, no eggs. Fishers must land lobster whole, not as tails.[7] Pass on any with eggs under the tail.

Oysters 90 mm and up. Smaller ones are under the legal size.[8]

Paperwork is the seller's job. Legal origin is proven by landing notices, the transport permit (guía de pesca) and invoices that carry the fishing permit number.[19]

Fish is low risk. Raw shellfish is not.

Red tide (marea roja)

Toxic algae blooms close shellfish harvests on this coast. COFEPRIS records closures on the Costa Grande from December 2013 to April 2014 and from February to May 2016, both caused by Pyrodinium bahamense.[21][22] A 2018 closure included part of Zihuatanejo.[23] Every documented Guerrero closure fell between December and May.

Cooking and freezing do not destroy the toxin, and toxic shellfish look and taste normal.[24]
Closures cover oysters, clams and mussels. In 2018 fish, octopus, shrimp and lobster stayed safe to eat.[23]
Tingling lips or tongue after eating shellfish: get medical care.[24]

Where to check

COFEPRIS posts current shellfish closures on its red-tide page.[25] It has not listed a Guerrero closure since 2016, even when the state announced one, so also look for news of an advisory from Guerrero's state health commission (COPRISEG), which samples oysters at 23 stations along the coast.[26]

No Guerrero rows on the federal table does not mean shellfish are cleared
Discolored water near shore is a reason to skip raw shellfish

Raw oysters, rain and Vibrio

Most Vibrio infections come from raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.[27] In a study of raw oysters from markets in Sinaloa, every sample carried at least one Vibrio species.[28] Rain washes bacteria into the sea,[29] and raw oysters can also carry norovirus.[30]

Skip raw oysters from near river mouths after heavy rain
Lime, hot sauce and alcohol do not kill the bacteria[31]
Boil until the shells open, then 3–5 minutes more[32]
Liver disease, diabetes or a weak immune system: eat shellfish cooked[27]
Keep open cuts out of the brackish water at river mouths[32]

Ciguatera

A review of every reported case in Mexico from 1984 to 2013 found Pacific cases only in Baja California Sur, mostly from snapper and grouper. None were reported in Guerrero.[33] That makes it rare here, not impossible.

Never

Sea turtle eggs or meat. All sea turtles have been under a total ban since 1990, including collecting or selling their eggs.[34] No use of any sea turtle is allowed, for food or for sale, including parts and products.[35] Taking a turtle or its eggs carries 1 to 9 years in prison.[1] More on the sea turtles page.

The full list for Guerrero

Each row was checked against the official text. Shrimp is the only seafood whose dates change each year.

Species	Closed	Type	Where	Source
Spiny lobster	Jul 1 – Oct 30	Fixed by law	Nayarit to Chiapas	DOF 2005[5]
Rock oyster	Jun 1 – Aug 31	Fixed by law	Sinaloa to Chiapas	DOF 2023[8]
Shrimp, sea	Mar 3 – Oct 6, 2026	Set each year	Pacific marine waters	DOF 2025, 2026[9][10]
Shrimp, Guerrero lagoons	Not published	Unclear	—	DOF 2026[10]
River prawn (langostino, chacal)	Aug 1 – Oct 31	Fixed by law	Pacific-slope rivers	DOF 2010[11]
Lisa	Nov 1 – Dec 31	Fixed by law	Colima to Chiapas	DOF 1994[15]
Liseta	May 15 – Jul 15	Fixed by law	Colima to Chiapas	DOF 1994[15]
Sharks and rays	May 1 – Jul 31	Fixed by law	Pacific	DOF 2013[16]
Tilapia, El Infiernillo reservoir	May 1 – Jul 31	Fixed by law	Michoacán and Coahuayutla, Guerrero	DOF 2016[36]
Tuna, large vessels only	Aug 6 – Oct 8 or Nov 9 – Jan 11	Set each year	Pacific, industrial fleet	DOF 2026[20]
Dorado, marlin, sailfish, swordfish, sábalo, roosterfish	All year, commercial	Sport fishing only	Within 50 nautical miles	LGPAS art. 68[19]
Sea turtles, eggs included	Always	Permanent ban	All Mexico	DOF 1990[34]
Freshwater turtle (jicotea)	Always	Permanent ban	Guerrero named	DOF 1994[15]
Whale shark, basking shark, white shark, sawfish, giant mantas	Always	Permanent ban	All Mexico	NOM-029[17]
Snappers, octopus, snook, sierra	None	No closed season	Pacific	Carta Nacional Pesquera[14]

Species

Closed

Type

Where

Source

Spiny lobster

Jul 1 – Oct 30

Fixed by law

Nayarit to Chiapas

DOF 2005[5]

Rock oyster

Jun 1 – Aug 31

Fixed by law

Sinaloa to Chiapas

DOF 2023[8]

Shrimp, sea

Mar 3 – Oct 6, 2026

Set each year

Pacific marine waters

DOF 2025, 2026[9][10]

Shrimp, Guerrero lagoons

Not published

Unclear

—

DOF 2026[10]

River prawn (langostino, chacal)

Aug 1 – Oct 31

Fixed by law

Pacific-slope rivers

DOF 2010[11]

Lisa

Nov 1 – Dec 31

Fixed by law

Colima to Chiapas

DOF 1994[15]

Liseta

May 15 – Jul 15

Fixed by law

Colima to Chiapas

DOF 1994[15]

Sharks and rays

May 1 – Jul 31

Fixed by law

Pacific

DOF 2013[16]

Tilapia, El Infiernillo reservoir

May 1 – Jul 31

Fixed by law

Michoacán and Coahuayutla, Guerrero

DOF 2016[36]

Tuna, large vessels only

Aug 6 – Oct 8 or Nov 9 – Jan 11

Set each year

Pacific, industrial fleet

DOF 2026[20]

Dorado, marlin, sailfish, swordfish, sábalo, roosterfish

All year, commercial

Sport fishing only

Within 50 nautical miles

LGPAS art. 68[19]

Sea turtles, eggs included

Always

Permanent ban

All Mexico

DOF 1990[34]

Freshwater turtle (jicotea)

Always

Permanent ban

Guerrero named

DOF 1994[15]

Whale shark, basking shark, white shark, sawfish, giant mantas

Always

Permanent ban

All Mexico

NOM-029[17]

Snappers, octopus, snook, sierra

None

No closed season

Pacific

Carta Nacional Pesquera[14]

Also checked; these closures apply only in other waters: abalone, clams, callo de hacha, red sea urchin, blue crab (jaiba), totoaba, Gulf corvina, red lobster, and the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean species.[2]

What isn't known

Whether shrimp in Guerrero's lagoons had a closed season in 2026. No published text settles it.

Where the shrimp sold around La Saladita comes from.

Whether anyone fishes river prawns in the streams at La Saladita.

Whether the placer oyster (Crassostrea corteziensis) closure, July 15 to November 15, reaches Guerrero. The wording quoted by CONAPESCA appears to exclude waters south of Teacapán, Sinaloa; the original text was not available.

Current landings by species for La Unión. The latest published breakdown covers 2000–2011.

Local seafood
through the year

Today's status

Through the year

Lobster and oysters from the rocks, fish from the pangas

Spiny lobster

Rock oyster

Shrimp from the sea

Shrimp from lagoons

River prawn

Mullet

Sharks and rays

Octopus

Fish, all year

The fish, and when they're best

Four checks at the counter

Fish is low risk. Raw shellfish is not.

Red tide (marea roja)

Where to check

Raw oysters, rain and Vibrio

Ciguatera

The full list for Guerrero

What isn't known

Local seafoodthrough the year

Today's status

Through the year

Lobster and oysters from the rocks, fish from the pangas

Spiny lobster

Rock oyster

Shrimp from the sea

Shrimp from lagoons

River prawn

Mullet

Sharks and rays

Octopus

Fish, all year

The fish, and when they're best

Four checks at the counter

Fish is low risk. Raw shellfish is not.

Red tide (marea roja)

Where to check

Raw oysters, rain and Vibrio

Ciguatera

The full list for Guerrero

What isn't known

Local seafood
through the year