Peru's Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, during his participation in the XIII Convention of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization held last week in Santiago, Chile.
Photo: Produce.
At the XIII South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) Convention held last week in Santiago, Chile, the Peruvian delegation - led by the Ministry of Production (Produce) - obtained the approval of three strategic measures to ratify the Alternative Mechanism that makes compatible measures to guarantee the presence of its artisanal fishing fleet in international waters.
"This achievement is a fundamental step for our artisanal fishermen, as it allows them to operate with greater flexibility and competitiveness on the high seas, without neglecting the sustainability of the resources," stated Peru's Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos.
This measure is in addition to another recently announced by Produce, which has decided to extend the deadlines for the installation of the Satellite Tracking System (SISESAT) on artisanal vessels to provide economic relief to artisanal fishermen who, due to oceanographic phenomena and adverse conditions in the sector, have been facing severe difficulties.
Regarding the SPRFMO Convention, Peru's Ministry of Production informed that the approved modifications optimize the Alternative Mechanism to the On-Board Observer Program, benefiting Peruvian artisanal vessels up to 15 meters in length, which will now be able to operate without the requirement of an on-board observer.
As mentioned, the Peruvian delegation presented three proposals aligned so that the system for collecting information with on-board observers, in port, and with electronic logbooks be recognized by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation.
Specifically, proposed modifications to conservation measures CMM 02 - Conservation and Management Measure on Standards for the Collection, Reporting, Verification and Exchange of Information; CMM 16 - Conservation and Management Measure to Establish the SPRFMO Observer Program; and CMM 18 - Conservation and Management Measure for the jumbo flying squid fishery were developed.
If Produce recently implemented new measures to ensure jumbo flying squid sustainability in Peru, now the SPRFMO Convention also guarantees the participation of the Peruvian artisanal fishing sector in the sustainable exploitation of the jumbo flying squid resource within the scope of the SPRFMO, both balancing the conservation of marine resources with the economic viability of artisanal fishing.
"Peru continues to demonstrate its leadership in the region in the defense of its fishing rights. We will continue working to ensure that our vessels have fair and equitable access to marine resources, respecting the particularity and rights of our artisanal fleet," said Vice Minister Barrientos.
A few days before it participated in the SPRFMO Convention in Chile, Produce had announced another measure to support the country's artisanal fleet. Peru's Ministry of Production decided to help the recovery of the country's artisanal fleet by extending the deadlines for the installation of the Satellite Tracking System on artisanal fishing vessels, differentiating them by their hold capacity.
Thus, according to the proposed staggered schedule for the implementation of the monitoring system, vessels of up to 10 m³ well capacity will have the most time, until December 31, 2026, to install SISESAT. Those with a well capacity of between 10 m³ and 20 m³ will then have until July 31, 2026. And, finally, vessels between 20 m³ and 32.6 m³ of hold capacity will have the least time and must have it implemented by January 1, 2026.
The Peruvian Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture highlighted the importance of the measure's balanced approach between sustainability and formality. "With this Supreme Decree we seek to progressively order the implementation of satellite tracking, which is an important tool that allows us to identify the fishing effort of our fleet and combat illegal fishing, moving towards a more efficient and structured system," he said.
"By grouping vessels by size, we guarantee a more suitable, precise, and effective monitoring, strengthening the fishing control of our artisanal, small-scal, and industrial fleet," Jesús Barrientos continued.
"The orderly implementation of SISESAT not only improves control but also opens opportunities for fishermen. Those who comply with this regulation will be able to access benefits, incentives, and better concrete conditions that will facilitate the development of their activity. We are building a system where formalization is not a burden, but a door to new opportunities," he emphasized.
The implementation of the Satellite Tracking System for 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 carried out a legislative change to prevent and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by foreign vessels.
By the end of the year, this commitment to the sustainability of marine resources had resulted in a total of 163,148 inspections nationwide, 1,909 infraction reports issued, and 3,285.64 tons of hydrobiological products seized, setting a record in IUU fishing inspections in Peru.
