Supply Chain Roundtable

Mexican Snapper and Grouper

The Mexican Snapper and Grouper Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) convenes US importers to collaborate on snapper and grouper sustainability work in the Mexican area of the Gulf of Mexico. The SR monitors the work of existing FIPs and ensures that market demands align with sustainability. In March 2025, the SR approved implementation of a Sustainable Sourcing Policy that includes two basic requirements intended to foster a market for sustainable products. First, SR participants will prioritize sourcing from Mexican companies participating in fishery improvement projects (FIPs). Second, SR participants will implement voluntary minimum size limits on several key species, increasing the likelihood that fish have had the opportunity to reproduce before being harvested (see below for more information).

Mexico is the fourth-largest snapper and grouper-producing country in the world, accounting for 5% of the global snapper and grouper sector volume.

Mexico is the most important source of imported snapper and grouper to the United States. Mexican snapper and grouper are significant trade commodities, and a substantial amount (primarily from the Gulf of Mexico) is exported to the United States.

A great deal of product (especially that harvested in the Pacific) also remains in the domestic market, which is beginning to engage in sustainability.

Participating companies

Sector Snapshot

2 Active Mexican Snapper & Grouper FIPs in Gulf of Mexico

9 Roundtable Participating Companies

4 % Regional Snapper and Grouper Production Improving

Q3 2025 Update

All SR participants agreed to provide funding for an analysis of nearly 500 red snapper otoliths to provide more robust data for use in a stock assessment.
Several SR participants have taken steps to implement the Sustainable Sourcing Policy.
View the full history of this SR’s activities.

Sector Background

By late 2025, about 1.3% of global snapper and grouper production was considered sustainable or improving, primarily due to the existence of one large FIP in Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of snapper and grouper (accounting for more than 40% of global production). FIPs in Mexico and Brazil (the fifth- and seventh-largest producers, respectively) also contribute a portion of the improving volume.

The success of T75 in the snapper and grouper sector depends on key production countries, such as Mexico, demonstrating that sustainable management and harvest of snapper and grouper are possible, and expansion of FIPs to a regional or national level.

The snapper and grouper sector comprises the wild and farmed snapper (Lutjanidae family) and grouper (Serranidae family) species. Most snapper and grouper species are coastal demersal fish, generally associated to hard-bottom habitats (rocky or reef areas). Snapper and grouper are highly valuable fish for the US, European, and some Asian markets. These species are generally traded live, fresh (or chilled), or frozen.

Activity & Workplan

In March 2025, the SR approved implementation of a Sustainable Sourcing Policy that includes two basic requirements intended to foster a market for sustainable products. First, SR participants will prioritize sourcing from Mexican companies participating in
fishery improvement projects (FIPs). Second, SR participants will implement voluntary minimum size limits on several key species, increasing the likelihood that fish have had the opportunity to reproduce before being harvested. While we recognize that these
actions alone will not achieve a sustainable fishery, we are committed to creating a market that encourages and rewards sustainably managed fisheries. Below are links to the signed Sustainable Sourcing Policies for each active SR participant:

SR Workplan

In March 2025, the Mexican Snapper and Grouper SR approved the 2025 workplan, including the following actions:

Expand SR participation
Implement the Sustainable Sourcing Policy
Ensure adequate participation in improvement efforts
Support improvement efforts to address key issues.

Join This Roundtable

To join this Supply Chain Roundtable or for more information, please contact Megan Westmeyer or call SFP at 1-808-726-2582.

Email Megan Westmeyer