Produce officials work on the monitoring and surveillance of fishing vessels on the coast of Peru using the SISESAT system.
Photo: Produce.
Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) announced that it has approved a modification in its Regulation of the Satellite Tracking System for fishing vessels (SISESAT) by which the technical requirements to become a satellite provider have been modernized and the implementation of new equipment for artisanal vessels is facilitated.
SISESAT is a technological tool that allows Peruvian authorities to track the location, course, and speed of fishing vessels in real time. The system is key to ensuring compliance with fishing regulations, protecting hydrobiological resources, and preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). It also facilitates evidence-based decision-making and reinforces transparency in extractive activities.
Moreover, Produce highlighted that, in addition to strengthening the control and traceability of marine resources, the Satellite Tracking System contributes to improving crew safety by enabling a rapid response to emergencies on the high seas.
The Peruvian government has been committed for months to updating its SISESAT system to cover as many vessels as possible. The first step was taken in July 2024, when Produce announced that it was going to modify its regulations to expand the market of suppliers of this technology in the country.
With this initiative, Peru sought to provide a lower-cost alternative system or equipment, mainly for small-scale vessels that needed it. Months later, in February 2025, Produce announced an extension of the deadlines for the installation of the Satellite Tracking System on artisanal fishing vessels, differentiating them by their hold capacity.
"We are building a system where formalization is not a burden, but a door to new opportunities," the Peruvian Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, said then.
Now, through the recently approved ministerial resolution, Produce has incorporated into the SISESAT system a new category - called 'type D' - which is specifically aimed at artisanal vessels required by law to have this equipment.
The Peruvian Ministry of Production explained that this upgrade will allow fishermen to have access to more economical satellite equipment, adequate to their needs, without affecting the quality of monitoring or their operational safety.
With the incorporation of this new category, a more precise classification of the types of vessels under monitoring is also established, which will be of type A, B, C, or D according to the type of fishing they carry out, their size, and other characteristics relevant to fisheries management.
According to information provided by Produce, there are currently 5,523 vessels in Peru that should have SISESAT equipment, but only 1,703 have implemented it. This measure seeks to close this gap through more accessible and technically feasible solutions for the artisanal fishing sector.
"The incorporation of a new technological category promotes inclusive access to control and transparency tools for all actors in the sector," said Vice Minister Jesús Barrientos. Produce noted that thanks to the new 'type D' category, more than 3,800 artisanal vessels will be able to access low-cost satellite equipment.
The resolution approved by the Peruvian Ministry of Production also updates the technical requirements of satellite providers in other important aspects such as message formats, latency, installation standards, and maintenance of onboard equipment.
Produce emphasized that the implementation of this new technical framework responds to a technical and socioeconomic approach, aimed at streamlining compliance with regulatory obligations without imposing additional costs on fishermen, thus reaffirming its commitment to "responsible, modern, and sustainable fishing."
"With this regulatory modification, we reinforce the sustainability of marine resources, raise safety standards on the high seas, and take a step towards a more orderly and formalized fishing," the Peruvian Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, stated.
The implementation of the SISESAT system for artisanal fishing vessels is part of the measures promoted by Produce to strengthen the formalization of the sector and guarantee orderly and sustainable fishing for both the national and international fleets.
Thus, in October 2024, Peru made a legislative change to prevent and combat illegal fishing by foreign vessels. By the end of the year, this commitment had resulted in a record number of IUU fishing inspections in the country, with a total of 163,148 inspections nationwide, 1,909 infraction reports issued, and 3,285.64 tons of hydrobiological products seized.