Peruvian fishermen during the anchovy season. Produce estimates the first Central-North 2024 anchovy fishing season will demand 11,400 direct jobs and 34,700 indirect jobs.
Photo: Produce.
The optimistic outlook is coming true. Peru's first anchovy fishing season 2024 is cruising right along and at the beginning of this week catches had already reached 92.44% of the 2,475,000 tons of quota allocated for the season in the North-Central zone that started last April 16.
In the previous figure provided by the Peruvian Ministry of Production (Produce) in mid-May, 60% of this year's quota, 1,497,302 tons, had been landing. Now, it confirmed that, according to updated statistics as of June 3, the unloading of anchovy (Engraulis ringens) and white anchovy (Anchoa nasus) resources for indirect human consumption is 2,287,955 tons.
Of these, 79.9% - 1,828,503 tons - correspond to the steel fleet, and the remaining 20.1% - 459,452 tons - to the country's wooden fleet.
Regarding the main ports where unloading took place, Produce reported the primary was Malabrigo with 27.1%, followed by Chimbote with 22.2%. At a further distance, Coishco (10.4%) and Callao (10.3%) followed with similar percentages. The list of highlights closes with the ports of Supe with 5.4%, Chancay with 4.9%, and Tambo de Mora with 4.3%.
Given its great weight in the global marine ingredients market, anchovy fishery is always vital in Peru. However, after the cancellation of the first season in June last year and the closing of the second season in mid-January with an unfulfilled quota, it is even more so in 2024.
The authorized quota for this first anchovy fishing season 2024, 55% higher than last year's, meant not only the restarting of fishing activity but also the reactivation of the country's economy.
"Less than two months into the fishing season, the results are very auspicious. We are in the last stage and the outlook is encouraging for economic income generation for the country," said the Peruvian Minister of Production, Sergio González.
According to Produce, the first anchovy fishing season underway will generate a contribution of 24% to the fisheries' GDP, equivalent to an added value of PEN 385 million (EUR 94.04 million - USD 102.42 million), which represents a contribution of 0.5% to the national GDP.
In terms of overseas trade, it says that fisheries exports are expected to contribute more than 24%, equivalent to USD 831 million (EUR 780 million), and will represent approximately 8% of the country's total exports by the end of 2024.
Finally, the Peruvian Ministry of Production estimates that, in the first North-Central fishing season, the extractive activity will demand around 11,400 direct jobs and 34,700 indirect jobs throughout the fishing activity chain, also benefiting more than three thousand SMEs nationwide.