The general secretary of the Peruvian Coastal Tuna Fishermen’s Union, Fernando Vílchez, sued the Ministry of Production the modification of the Regulations of the General Fishing Law to allow the national fleet to exceed 10 000 tons per year, a figure that represents 30% of the availability of the species.
“Tuna catches can increase from 10,000 to 40,000,000 tons if the Ministry of Production changes the Regulations of the General Fisheries Law in order to fully use the tuna fishing permits. There are some Peruvian companies that have the aforementioned permits, but they do not use them and are almost exclusively dedicated to fishing for horse mackerel, mackerel and anchovy ”, explained the leader. Fernando Vílchez.
“With this type of practice, tuna fishermen are marginalized and unable to work,” said the secretary secretary of the tuna fishermen’s union.
Fernando Vílchez highlighted that the conduct of these companies, which, having authorizations to fish for tuna, and put them aside to prefer other species, affects thousands of tuna workers.
“Increasing from 10,000 to 40,000 tonnes of tuna, in turn, will contribute to an increase of almost 100 million cans of canned fish annually in processing plants. That would mean the generation of 10,000 jobs, at a time when seafarers and their families badly hit by the pandemic require income, “argued union leader Fernando Vílchez.
The modification of the Regulations of the General Fishing Law would resolve the high levels of unemployment of tuna fishermen.
Instead of Peruvian fishermen exploiting the species, foreign ships and crews, especially from Ecuador, are allowed to enter national waters to take tons of the species.
“They intend to charter these permits to Ecuadorian boats to come with their crews, at a time when our fishermen cry out for work. And for this, there would already be a favorable opinion from the Ministry of Production. If this happens, it would be treason against the nation, “said the fishing union leader.
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