Without regulation lights to protect the 5 nautical miles

The Ministry of Production (Produce) had until August 16 to publish the regulations of Law 31749, which recognizes traditional ancestral fishing and traditional artisanal fishing and promotes its preservation within the first five miles of the Peruvian sea.

However, To date, said document has not seen the light. Raúl Peréz Reyes, former head of this entity, announced in July that, since it is a complex law involving various actors, it was going to take a longer time than stipulated, but that the final version should be published in the fourth quarter of this year.

They ask for an audience

In the last week, the union groups Guardians of the 5 nautical miles and General Union of Fishermen of Perumade up of more than 10 fishermen’s associations each, sent a letter to Minister Ana María Choquehuanca to request a hearing in which they are informed about the progress of the regulations (see infographic).

“This important and historic law is a response to a long-standing demand from true artisanal fishermen, who to this day have been denouncing depredation in our work area by purse seine vessels (…),” they maintain in the missive.

In accordance with Armando Paiva Morándelegate of the El Toril de Paita Artisanal Fishermen’s Union, it is worrying that not only has there been no regulation until now, but that Produce endorses activities contrary to Law 31749 such as the authorization for exploratory fishing of brown shrimp with trawl nets – which is little selective—within five miles.

Likewise, the favorable technical opinion of Produce sent to PL 5496 has generated surprise, pointing out that it is feasible to formalize more than 1,000 medium-scale vessels within Siforpa II. “We have asked that there no longer be any openings because what it is doing is generating an excess of fishing effort,” said Paiva.

On social networks it is observed that in recent months Produce has been holding workshops to publicize the scope of the standard in Tumbes, Piura, La Libertad, Lambayeque and Áncash, with the aim of covering the entire coastline.

However, Bruno Monteferri, director of Marine Governance of the SPDA, explained to La República that a draft regulation has not yet been socialized. “Once there is a text proposal, it will be necessary to carry out an extensive socialization process that gives space to the different voices of artisanal fishing, to the industrial unionsto academia and civil society,” he said.

The specialist stressed that cases of fishing with mechanized purse seines continue to be reported within the three miles without supervision, and that therefore it is “urgent” for Produce to clarify the limits of mechanical gear, since the regulation will depend on it. fishing

Pazo speaks out on controversial PL

“If supporting the formalization of our coastal fishermen brothers is a crime, then I face it firmly,” said Somos Perú congressman Bernardo Pazo Nunura regarding his questioned bill 5496 to expand Siforpa IIa process that concluded in July.

The initiative, which has been in the Production Commission for three months, has already received opinions from various unions and associations linked to the sector, mostly in opposition, as it seeks to formalize vessels that cannot prove that they were built before 2018.

Figures

• 50,000 artisanal fishermen will benefit from the application of Law 31749.
• 80% of what is caught artisanally supplies the markets.