"Anchovy is one of the pillars of our fishing industry, and we must manage it with technical and environmental responsibility," said Peru's Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Photo: Produce.
By the end of last week, Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) authorized the start of the second anchovy fishing season of 2025 in the southern part of the country. Specifically, the season - during which both anchovy (Engraulis ringens) and white anchovy (Anchoa nasus) can be caught - will start on July 1 and will run until December 31, or until reaching the total allowable catch (TAC), which has been set at 251,000 tons.
The decision was based on the scientific recommendations of the Peruvian Institute of the Sea (Imarpe), which validated the health of the anchovy stock and recommended continuing with the extractive activity under strict controls.
After the first anchovy fishing season of 2025 in the southern Peru was the best in the last decade, by announcing the activation of this second season, Produce pointed out that the measures adopted for its authorization will not only serve to maintain the sustainability of the resource, but will also help strengthen the formal fishing industry and boost the economy of the south.
If the Peruvian Ministry of Production said that the first anchovy fishing season 2025 in north-central Peru will generate approximately 50,000 direct jobs throughout the extractive fishing activity chain, it has said now that this second season in the south will have a direct impact on employment and development in regions such as Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna.
"This season represents an important productive opportunity for the south of the country," said Peru's Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos. "We are reactivating the economy without losing sight of the conservation of the resource. Anchovy is one of the pillars of our fishing industry, and we must manage it with technical and environmental responsibility."
The latest report from IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, corroborates this. April data showed that the Peruvian anchovy season not only heralds a stable production of fishmeal and fish oil for 2025 in the South American country but also guarantees the progress of world production this year.
As mentioned above, Produce made the decision to open the season and set the TAC at 251,000 tons after receiving validation of the anchovy stock's health from Imarpe, and also followed its recommendations to continue with the activity under strict controls.
Thus, during this second anchovy fishing season 2025 in southern Peru, only authorized vessels with an assigned quota will be able to operate, using regulated nets and respecting protected fishing zones, in line with fishing sustainability standards.
The anchovy extracted will be destined exclusively for indirect human consumption - i.e., the production of fishmeal and fish oil - and its processing will also be subject to strict standards. The plants must have a valid license and may not receive resources from unauthorized vessels.
This strict control is part of the future plans that the Peruvian government has for the country's fishing industry, with innovation and sustainability as pillars. Peru's National Fisheries Policy by 2040 seeks to strengthen the sustainable use of Peruvian hydrobiological resources, increase the sector's productivity, and boost commercialization, especially in the domestic market.