Anchovy fishing registers more than 100 closed areas

In more than two months of the second industrial anchovy fishing season, the temporary and preventive closure of at least 115 areas has already been ordered, according to the analysis carried out by Oceana Peru of the statements issued by the Ministry of Productionin compliance with Supreme Decree 024-2016.

The suspension of extractive activities in certain areas It has been due to the fact that fishing vessels report when there are high incidents of juveniles after collecting their net, and in this way they avoid fines. The highest authority in the sector, Produce, upon receiving this data, has the closures for a maximum period of five calendar days, waiting for the youth resource to move.

In recent seasons, more anchovies have been recorded below the minimum capture size —12 centimeters—, thereby increasing the closed areas.

From the second fishing season from 2017 to 2021, an average of 76 areas were closed per season, according to a report from the Peruvian Sea Institute (Imarpe).

In 2022 the number skyrocketed: it reached 167 zones in the first season, and 147 in the second.

Juan Carlos Sueiro, director of Fisheries of Oceana PeruMaintains that The greater presence of youth generates uncertainty in the sector, so the reasons behind it must be evaluated, to improve regulation. “If there are juveniles in abundance, it is because there are anchovies, but where it is, what its location is, that also does not have a certain answer,” he notes.

The most recent mini-seasons were recorded this Tuesday, one in front of the Ancón sea and another in the Pucusana area.

Data

Advance. The quota for the second fishing season of 2023 is 1.6 million tons, and as of January 1, 1.1 million were landed.

Decision. High presence of juveniles and cases of entanglement led to most of the boats to stop its activities voluntarily in the last week of December.