Government will establish a minimum pension in the fishing regime

In April, the Government approved establishing a minimum amount of social security benefits in the Special Pension Regime for Fishing Workers (REP) and the Direct Transfer to the Fisherman (TDEP) through the supplementary credit law. To date, it is pending that the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) issue the supreme decree that defines the amount of the minimum pension, where its financing will come from, among other details.

“In the last law that has been approved of the supplementary credit, a direct evaluation of a regime of which there is not much concern in public opinion, which has to do with fishing boats, has also been planned. What has been projected at the proposal of the Economy and Finance sector is that there is a reform process also of the fishing regime, establishing minimum pensions that are not currently established. Currently, there is no minimum pension in the fishing regime”, commented Victorhugo Montoya, the chief in an interview for La República. of the Social Security Standardization Office (ONP).

The Special Pension Regime for Fishing Workers arose in 2013 after the Superintendency of Banking and Insurance (SBS) decided to dissolve the Caja del Pescador —which had been in operation since 1965— because it had suspended payment to its affiliates, presented economic insolvency for future obligations, among other financial problems. In this way, in 2010 it ceased to operate and its comprehensive liquidation process was ordered, according to the report on the pension system prepared by the Executive.

Currently, the REP is administered by the ONP, Beneficiaries must have accumulated 375 weeks of contribution and prove 25 years of work in the sector to be able to access a pension, the maximum amount of which is S/660. Likewise, there is the Direct Transfer to the Former Fisherman (TDEP), which is the mechanism by which the pensioners of the Caja del Pescador request access to their pension through the ONP.

As of September 2022, the ONP is in charge of the administration of 5,782 people affiliated under Regimes 30003 (REP and TDEP), according to the Statistical Bulletin of this entity, while the number of pensioners amounts to 7,455. Regarding the range of pensions, 33.1% receive an amount greater than or equal to S/660; a better percentage (10.7%) receives between S/250 and S/450.