Peru lowers lorna's minimum catch size for its sustainability

Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) reaffirms its commitment to responsible management of fishery resources by lowering lorna's minimum catch size to ensure its sustainability. The regulation also updated the scientific name of the resource from 'Sciaena deliciosa' to 'Callaus deliciosa', by the most recent scientific classification.

"With the aim to ensure the sustainability of the hydrobiological resource lorna (Callaus deliciosa), the Ministry of Production modified the minimum catch size of this species, reducing it from 24 cm to 21 cm total length," Produce said in the statement announcing the new Ministerial Resolution on lorna's minimum catch size.

In addition, the Peruvian authority also informed that, as part of the same measure, the tolerance for bycatch of undersized fish was increased from 10% to 25%. As usual in the South American country, the changes are based on scientific studies carried out by the Peruvian Institute of the Sea (Imarpe), which advises Produce when making this type of decision.

In this case, the technical report 'Estimation of the Minimum Catch Size of Lorna in the Peruvian Littoral' analyzed biological-reproductive indicators such as the gonadosomatic index (GSI) - a measure of the relative weight of an organism's gonads with respect to its total body weight that is used to evaluate reproductive condition, maturity, and seasonal patterns -, and the size at first maturity (L50) - the average length at which half of the population is able to reproduce, a key parameter for managing and conserving fish populations -, concluding that the species reaches reproductive maturity at 21 cm in length.

However, Imarpe's work does not end there, as it will continue to monitor lorna population and report to the Ministry of Production any variation in its biological, fishing and population status, in order to ensure the proper management and conservation of the species.

Produce also reminded that non-compliance with the new regulation will be sanctioned by the General Fisheries Law and its regulations. In addition, it added that, in coordination with regional authorities and the General Directorate of Captaincy and Coast Guard, supervisory operations will be carried out to ensure compliance with the regulation.

Precisely, Peru's General Fisheries Law was updated at the beginning of the month to strengthen artisanal fishing. "This reform introduces important measures to guarantee the sustainability of hydrobiological resources, the equitable development of the fishing sector, and the country's food security, which represents a real commitment to our fishermen and the preservation of the marine ecosystem," Peruvian Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, stated then.

Lorna is a fish that inhabits the Southeastern Pacific Ocean, between the current countries of Peru and Chile, popular in Peruvian cuisine for such well-known preparations as ceviche. Its conservation is, therefore, not only important for the economy, but also for the food security of Peruvians.

This reduction in lorna's minimum catch size is in addition to other measures of commitment to sustainability carried out by Produce since the beginning of the year, such as the closure of the anchovy fishing season to protect spawning stock, the implementation of new management measures to ensure the sustainability of the giant flying squid, or the establishment of a reproductive closure of hake in strategic areas of the Peruvian Sea, in order to protect its reproductive process and ensure its availability for future generations.