Venezuela is preparing to resume blue crab exports to the US
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Published at: 20/02/2026 04:18 PM
The Minister of Popular Power for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Juan
Carlos Loyo, reported that Venezuela is preparing to soon resume the
export of blue crab, originally from the state of Zulia, to the United States
(USA), the main export market for this sector since the 1970s.
During a meeting with the governor of the
western entity, Luis Caldera, together with spokespersons for local fishermen and
aquaculture councils, Loyo indicated that, due to the new relationship of
cordiality between the two countries, steps are being taken to resume
sales of blue crab, once the corresponding permission has been obtained from the Department of Fisheries of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOA).
It also authorized any community of fishermen,
businessmen or owners of processing plants for this product in Lake
Maracaibo, to carry out their activities in accordance with current legal regulations, also
respecting the provisions regarding the size and weight of the crustacean.
The official explained that a special commission was created,
chaired by Governor Caldera, to monitor the process
of reactivating exports.
Lake Maracaibo is the only place in Venezuela where blue crab is
collected and processed, being one of the three countries on the American
continent next to the Gulf of Mexico and the United States where the species is found.
The activity related to this sector involves more than 20,000
people, 22 processing plants and more than four thousand vessels, which
allowed the production of exportable processed products to
reach 2,815 tons in 2025 with a total production of fresh produce of 10,200 tons.
Mazo News Team/VTV