Raúl Pérez-Reyes Espejo: “We seek to create a compensation fund for artisanal fishermen”

El Niño has had a strong impact on the industrial fishing sector, almost paralyzing its most important activity: the capture of anchovy. The Minister of Production, Raul Perez-Reyes, affirms that next week it will be possible to know if there will be a short fishing season or not; he added that his portfolio is preparing a package of measures for the industrial and craft sector.

—Will a short fishing season be authorized?

—About three weeks ago, in the monitoring carried out by Imarpe, they determined that there was a level of cooling compared to Chicama and the coast of Lima enough to suggest that there could be anchovy activity in the area, and that is when it was decided to launch a third research cruise. Based on their results (which will be out next week), we’ll determine if it’s appropriate for us to open a small season or not.

—What is Produce’s message in the face of pressure from the industry?

—The position is very clear. We make decisions based on the recommendations of Imarpe, which is the technical body in charge of determining fishing conditions in the main fisheries.

—Are there mitigation measures for workers?

—The proposal is to increase the grace period in EsSalud so that workers can enjoy the Health services even though they don’t contribute. The grace period is two months per semester and we are increasing it to three months per year.

Artisanal fishermen denounced a few months ago that Produce would seek to reduce controls for the entry of Chinese boats. Photo: diffusion

—Has there been a dialogue with the fishing industry?

—Yes. We are looking at the refinancing of fine payments that are associated with installments. We are going to give them a postponement of those payments so that it does not generate liquidity problems for the companies. Another measure is a Fishing Reactive, we have to discuss it with the MEF. In principle, those who have an interest in this measure are wooden boats, and we believe that it makes sense, so we will have meetings with the MEF to define how the issue will be.

—And regarding the artisanal fishermen?

—In the first semester we have had almost 150 days of due to abnormal waves, which has a significant impact on the income of artisanal fishermen. We are evaluating the creation of a fund that allows them to be compensated when these waves last for a very long time. Some 35,000 people would be the beneficiaries of this measure. The industry has paid some fishing rights, the idea is that these rights will finance this fund. In principle, we are calculating that the value of the fund would initially be between S/70 and S/71 million.

—When will the regulation of Law 31749 be ready?

—It is a complex law, because it addresses a problem that has several actors. We have already prepared a proposal, we are fine-tuning the regulatory impact analysis and in the first half of August we are going to have meetings throughout the main fishing coves to present a first version of the regulation. The final version should be published in the fourth quarter of this year.

—The mypes affirm that the economic reactivation measures do not reach them.

—It is true that not all mypes have benefited from the programs of the Government. It is necessary to work so that the programs finance new activities, but it is also necessary to recognize that not all have credit qualifications. Legislation must be built to deal with the problem of those who are not subject to credit or those who do not have a credit history. We are talking with the MEF about this issue.

—Was there a commitment from Produce to reduce the surveys in relation to safeguards?

—That is a very serious mistakeThere was no such commitment. To modify that, another supreme decree is required that has to be approved by three ministers and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. I cannot commit myself to modify something alone.

But do you agree with the change?

—The conditions under which safeguards are investigated are very demanding. We believe that this norm must be modified to bring it to the standard of the WTO. What we have is a still technical discussion between Produce, the Mincetur and the MEF on this issue. We hope that in the coming weeks this technical, legal discussion can be resolved and we have a modification of the norm.