What Fish Do They Eat in Mexico? A Guide to the Most Popular Marine Life

Mexico is a country blessed with over 6,000 miles of coastline and a rich diversity of fish and shellfish. From Baja California to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexican cuisine makes excellent use of the bounty from the sea. While Mexicans enjoy seafood all year round, the late winter and early spring months see a peak in consumption. This is not only because most species are in season, but also due to the Lenten and Holy Week traditions of meatless meals.

So what are the most commonly eaten fish and shellfish found on Mexican tables? Let’s take a look at some of the delicias del mar – the delights from the sea.

Pacific Coast Favorites

The Pacific coast of Mexico yields a treasure trove of popular seafood. Red snapper or huachinango is prepared in a multitude of ways. It can be grilled, baked, or stewed in a rich tomato sauce as huachinango a la veracruzana. The large flaky flesh of the dolphinfish or dorado makes it an excellent fish for grilling. Yellowfin tuna is used for regional specialties like the smoked tuna of Mazatlan. Shrimp may be the most beloved shellfish in the country, sold fresh or dried and used in a wide range of dishes.

On the beaches of Zihuatanejo, sailfish is a prized catch. Fishermen bring it ashore where beachfront restaurants will grill it served with rice, fresh tortillas, and salsa. Marlin is also popular, often used in place of tuna for ceviche due to its firm texture. The sparkling blue waters of Acapulco Bay yield fat pacific sierra in abundance. It is fried whole and eaten with salsa and lime.

Gulf Favorites

On the Gulf coast, red snapper and grouper are Gulf favorites. Snapper might be stuffed with shrimp and octopus then baked. Grouper is nicely grilled and served with avocado slices in tortillas for tacos. Oysters are abundant served raw on the half shell doused with hot sauce, or breaded and fried for a different take.

The port of Veracruz is famous for its seafood cocktails featuring shrimp octopus, clams and oysters in a spicy tomato sauce. Cocktails are scooped up with saltine crackers. The waters off Veracruz also provide sweet blue crab used to make chilpachole a zesty soup, and stuffed into empanadas.

Baja Bounty

The Baja peninsula’s Sea of Cortez and Pacific coast provide a wealth of options. On the Pacific side, lobster rules supreme. Puerto Nuevo is renowned for its grilled lobster served with beans, rice and fresh flour tortillas. Clams are another Baja favorite. Whether it’s the smaller chocolate clam or the larger pata de mula (mule’s foot), clams here are prepared simply with butter and lime.

The Sea of Cortez supplies squid for seafood soups and mixed cocktails. Scallops are caught by divers and grilled right on the beach. Shrimp both large and small are essential for shrimp tacos, shrimp ceviche and spicy shrimp soup. Along the Pacific, Baja fishermen bring in good sized sierra and white seabass. The seabass is excellent for fish tacos when battered and fried.

Freshwater Favorites

While we often think of ocean fish when discussing Mexican cuisine, some freshwater species are extremely popular In central Mexico’s lake regions, catfish and carp are turned into flavorful stews and soups Lake Patzcuaro is home to the prized Pátzcuaro whitefish often cooked in garlic and butter. And let’s not forget the tilapia fish farms that provide inexpensive, mild tasting fillets all over the country.

Trout from the volcanic lakes and rivers in central Mexico can be found on menus. Served whole and fried with a bit of garlic, trout has a devoted following. The Rio Balsas in southwestern Mexico yields freshwater shrimp called acociles. They are cooked in soups or mixed with rice. Sinaloa’s rivers provide big bass for baking in foil with tomatoes and chiles.

Traditional Favorites

Some traditional favorites have been eaten since pre-Hispanic times. In the lake regions, small salamanders called ajolotes are wrapped in corn husks and steamed. On the Pacific coast, sea turtle was once abundantly caught but is now endangered and restricted. Freshwater eels find their way into tomato based stews and adobo dishes. And minnow-sized charales are indispensable for Lenten meals, cooked into soups or fried for tacos.

Celebrations and Traditions

As mentioned earlier, late winter into spring sees increased seafood consumption due to Lent and Holy Week. Traditionally meatless dishes and menus help the devout observe the Lenten sacrifice. Salt cod cooked in the Spanish style is a typical Lenten meal. Dried shrimp flavors soups made from legumes and rice. Fried catfish tacos grace the tables of families on Fridays.

The Christmas and New Years holidays also call for seafood. Bacalao or salt cod figures prominently in celebratory menus. Oaxaca’s coastal communities kick off Christmas with the Fiesta of the Seven Fishes, a giant seafood feast complete with octopus stew, fried snapper, and fish tamales. New Years Day calls for lentils stewed with chiles, onion and diced tuna for prosperity.

Clearly, fish and shellfish play an integral role in Mexican food culture. The variety of species caught along over 6,000 miles of coastline allows for incredible diversity in preparation. Mexicans have mastered the art of transforming the ocean’s bounty into delectable dishes that areintegral to festivals, holidays and everyday menus. From sizzling shrimp ceviche to hearty fish stews, seafood lovingly prepared is one of the great joys of Mexican cuisine. ¡Buen provecho!