Shrimp season is back, and Baja California is ready to cast its nets. The National Closed Season Committee just marked the calendar for the 2025–2026 season: September 29 for the Pacific, and October 14 for the Gulf of California. Get your cocktail sauce ready.
A Lifeline for Families
According to Alma Rosa García Juárez, head of Baja California’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Secretariat, this isn’t just about seafood. Shrimping keeps hundreds of families in San Felipe and the Upper Gulf afloat. From catching and cleaning, to packing and trucking, the shrimp trade is an entire ecosystem of jobs. Think of it as Baja’s pink gold rush.
Last Year’s Catch
In 2024, Baja’s fleet pulled in 94.25 tons of shrimp. Yes, the quarter ton counts, and no, we don’t know who weighed it. Small boats made the biggest splash, hauling 93.6 tons, while larger vessels collected the rest. The little guys clearly have game.
Science Behind the Season
These dates didn’t appear out of thin air. They came from research by the Institute for Sustainable Fisheries Research (IMIPAS), led by Víctor Manuel Vidal Espinoza. The science is simple: give the shrimp time to grow, then let fishermen have their turn before nature hits the reset button.
Programs with a Purpose
The state government, under Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, is pushing support programs for fishermen. New boat engines, fleet upgrades, and the “Fishing with Heart” initiative all aim to keep the industry healthy. The name might sound like a Hallmark movie, but it means help for fishermen and their families.
Shrimp on the Menu
What does all this mean for the rest of us? More shrimp dishes on Baja tables. Whether grilled on the beach, simmered in garlic butter, or tucked into a taco, shrimp is as much culture as it is food. Bite into one, and you taste the ocean — salty, sweet, and slightly rebellious. Pair it with a crisp white wine or a cold Tecate, and you’ll understand why locals guard this season like a holiday.
Closing Time
Every party has an end. For shrimp season, that comes on March 3, 2026, when the ban begins again. Until then, expect busy docks, humming processing plants, and Baja’s coastal towns celebrating their annual shrimp boom.
For the fishermen, the season means survival. For the rest of us, it means flavor. Either way, Baja wins.
