"We are modernizing fishing regulations with a focus on justice and sustainability," said Peru's Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Photo: Produce.
In compliance with the provisions of the 'Law recognizing traditional ancestral fishing and traditional artisanal fishing and promoting their preservation within the five Peruvian maritime miles', Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) issued a Supreme Decree updating its General Fisheries Law to strengthen artisanal fisheries.
The Peruvian authority said the new measures mark a milestone in the protection of the Peruvian sea and the strengthening of artisanal fishing and will have a positive impact on the economic well-being of more than 80,000 fishermen and their families.
"We are modernizing fishing regulations with a focus on justice and sustainability," Peru's Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, stated. "This regulation is an endorsement of our artisanal fishermen, who for generations have known how to coexist with the sea, and guarantees that their activity is profitable without compromising the future of our resources."
Produce emphasized that the four key aspects of the new measure are as follows:
The concept of 'predominance of manual labor' is established as a fundamental element to differentiate artisanal fishing.
The actors that will have 'exclusivity within the first three nautical miles' are delimited.
It is defined that the first five nautical miles will be considered as a 'Fauna and Flora Protection Zone', in which no fishing gear prohibited for this zone may be used.
It is ratified that no larger-scale extractive activity is allowed within the five nautical miles.
As part of the implementation of these new measures, within a maximum period of 60 working days, Peru's Ministry of Production will issue provisions regulating the process of adaptation of fishing vessels that, after this regulatory update, may see their category modified.
Likewise, through this regulation, Produce establishes the satellite equipment installation program for those fishing vessels that have successfully followed the process of adapting artisanal fishing permits to operate as small-scale fishing vessels.
As reported by WeAreAquaculture last week, Produce had already announced another measure to support the country's artisanal fleet, extending the deadlines for the installation of the Satellite Tracking System on artisanal fishing vessels, differentiating them by their hold capacity.
"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," Jesús Barrientos highlighted.
Recently, Produce announced the implementation of new management measures to guarantee the sustainability of the jumbo flying squid resource -also known as Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas)- with the same objective, to protect the marine ecosystem while strengthening the activity of thousands of artisanal fishermen in the country.
"With a modern and sustainable approach, we are closing spaces to illegal fishing and ensuring that artisanal fishing continues to be a source of work and food for thousands of Peruvians," added the Peruvian Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
In 2024, Peru set a record number of inspections to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in its territorial waters. Prioritizing the protection of key species for the economy and environmental balance, more than 163,000 interventions were carried out nationwide, in which 1,909 infraction reports were issued and 3,285.64 tons of hydrobiological products were seized.
