Second fishing season would close without completing the quota

The second season of industrial anchovy fishing has already completed 1.2 million metric tons (MT) landed, which represents 71% of the total quota assigned to the north-central stock, which amounts to 1.6 million, according to Ángel Perea, coordinator of the Peruvian Sea Institute (Imarpe) in Chimbote.

In the opinion of experts consulted by this means, the second season that began at the end of October 2023 would not complete the assigned quotasince in January of each year under normal conditions—especially in the first fortnight—the anchovy reaches its reproductive peak.

“I find it very difficult to achieve the quota. We are already in January, if the anchovy starts to reproduce, (the activity) has to stop,” said Juan Carlos Sueiro, fisheries director of Oceana Peru.

Along these lines, the fisheries engineer Elmer Nieves He noted that the incidence of juveniles in greater abundance in each season—especially in this current one—should be a reason for study. Some reasons behind it could be the survival instinct of the anchovy in the face of abnormal weather, fishing pressure, pollution, among other situations that the authorities should be in charge of checking.

“It is advisable to avoid the capture of sizes smaller than 12 cm, to allow environmental conditions to normalize and the resource to recover, so that the industry can then continue with its activities,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Boated fishermen continue to report numerous cases of entanglementwhich is when juvenile anchovies become trapped in the net, cleaning it can take up to two days.

Furthermore, the Fishermen’s Union of Chimbote Port José Olaya Balandra are requesting, through a statement, the resignation of the scientific director of Imarpe, Renato Guevara, for not issuing the report that recommends the closure of the season due to the high presence of juveniles.