More than 180 fish farmers from seven communities and native villages of the Tuntungos River, in the Amazon region, received training through a workshop.
Photo: Produce.
In September 2025, we learned that almost 40% of Peru's 2026 production budget had been allocated to fisheries and aquaculture. Although the main objectives of that budget were to support science, artisanal fisheries, and food security, a portion was also earmarked for training to expand aquaculture.
Thus, after a few months in which the media focus in Peru has been on fisheries and the first anchovy fishing season—and more specifically on its temporary suspension, which is still in effect—during June, Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) launched two initiatives, one of them already completed in the Amazonas Department, and another, still underway, at the national level.
Carried out in conjunction with local authorities, the Workshop for the Amazon Aquaculture Promotion, organized by Produce's Aquaculture Extension Service of the General Directorate of Aquaculture and the District Municipality of Imaza in the Amazon region, trained more than 180 aquaculturists from seven native communities and hamlets of the Tuntungos River, a river tributary located in this region of northwestern Peru.
Specifically, the workshop offered training on the services provided by the Ministry of Production itself for aquaculture formalization, as well as the services provided by other State entities such as the 'National Program Your Company' (PROCOMPITE), the 'National Water Authority of Peru' (DEVIDA PERU), the 'Regional Directorate of Production Amazonas' (Direpro Amazonas), and the National Service of Protected Areas by the State (SERNANP).
All participating institutions in the workshop pledged to work together to promote high-quality and sustainable aquaculture in Imaza. The event also served as an opportunity for various regional authorities to present aquaculture producers with permits that will contribute to the sustainable development of their operations.
Specifically, the Amazonas Provincial Directorate delivered 37 authorization resolutions to develop aquaculture in the Limited Resource Aquaculture (AREL) category; the Bagua Santiago Local Water Authority delivered 170 water use permits; and the Imaza District Municipality delivered pipes for the expansion and enabling of aquaculture units to fish farmers of the Umukai Native Community.
While this was happening in the Department of Amazonas, at the national level and through the General Directorate of Aquaculture, Produce has been implementing ACUIMPULSA, a strategic campaign designed so that fish farmers throughout the country can have funds to grow their businesses, by requesting the refund of the IGV tax (general sales tax, an indirect tax of 18%) for aquaculture provided for in the Law on the Promotion and Strengthening of Aquaculture in Peru (Law No. 31666) approved in December 2022.
As Produce explained when it announced its launch last April, more than 3,000 licensed fish farmers could benefit from the implementation of the IGV refund for aquaculture. Specifically, the country's aquaculture authority then estimated that it could provide a cash injection of between USD 116 million and USD 145 million for the Peruvian aquaculture industry.
However, as the Ministry of Production itself has now pointed out, to access this tax refund, producers need to have organized management tools, clear accounting and efficient cost management. That is where the ACUIMPULSA campaign gains real strength, with training specifically designed for aquaculture farmers to strengthen the management of their businesses, master their finances and comply with the necessary standards to make the most of the support instruments that the State makes available to them.
As part of its technical support for fish farmers, the Ministry has been offering completely free virtual sessions since June 15th, providing training on various topics. The first session was focused on sales and market access; the second on business image and product presentation; the third on costs and profitability; and finally, the fourth and final session, to be held on July 13th, will be dedicated to the production cycle's finances.