"We are witnessing a recovery in the anchovy fishery in the south, which represents a great opportunity," said Peru's Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Photo: Produce.
As of April 1, Peru had registered a landing of 176,226.11 tons in the first anchovy fishing season of 2025 in the southern zone of the country. According to the Ministry of Production (Produce), this is equivalent to 70.2% of the allocated quota, a historic figure that, with the season still underway, far exceeds the records of previous seasons and consolidates as the best in the last decade.
In January alone, driven mainly by the increase in anchovy landings for indirect human consumption, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Peru's extractive fishing industry grew by 23.5%, equivalent to an increase of PEN 39.1 million (EUR 10.1 million / USD 10.6 million) compared to the same month of the previous year.
Now, the Peruvian Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, emphasized that the recovery of the anchovy fishery in the southern zone in this first season of 2025 is reactivating the fishing sector and, as seen in January, with it, the country's economy, especially in the south.
"We are witnessing a recovery in the anchovy fishery in the south, which represents a great opportunity for fishermen, businesses, and communities linked to the activity," he said. "This rebound not only energizes the regional economy but also strengthens our capacity for sustainable and responsible production."
Likewise, Vice Minister Barrientos emphasized the need to continue supporting fishing in the south. "From the Government, we are committed to guaranteeing optimal conditions for the fishing activity to continue growing, generating employment and ensuring the development of the sector. The fishing potential of the south is enormous, and we must continue to promote it," he stated.
So far, the main ports of landing have been Arequipa and Moquegua, where anchovy landings were received by four processing plants. Austral received 34.4%, followed by Tasa with 32.7%, Ger Export with 20.6%, and Diamante, which received 12.3%.
Produce also reported that the fishing fleet has shown an active presence with a total of 36 vessels operating in the waters of Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna, guaranteeing a continuous and stable supply.
In terms of biomass caught, Peru's Ministry of Production reported an average size of 12 cm, which indicates an adequate availability of the resource and sustainable management of the fishing activity.
In this regard, Produce said that new strategies are being evaluated to optimize fisheries' management and guarantee the conservation of the resource, "ensuring its availability for future generations." However, anchovy is not the only species that the Peruvian fishing authority keeps a close eye on.
So far this year, and beyond the establishment of maximum catch quotas, the Peruvian Ministry of Production has already used various tools to ensure the sustainability of the sector, ranging from the establishment of reproductive bans, as in the case of hake; setting a minimum catch size, as it did in March for lorna; or approving a new fishing management regulation for the jumbo flying squid fishery.
Finally, Produce once again reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening sustainable fisheries, for which it said it works together with fishermen and the industry to ensure a balanced development that benefits all those involved. An example of this has been the recent update of its General Fisheries Law to strengthen artisanal fisheries.
