"This national policy is a milestone. It marks the path towards modern, profitable, and sustainable fishing," said the Peruvian Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Photo: Pablo Cordero / Produce.
On June 7, Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) opened for public consultation the draft of the Supreme Decree approving the National Fisheries Policy by 2040. For 15 days from that date - that is, until June 21 - both interested parties and the general public will be able to express their opinions on the proposal, which can be reviewed at Produce's website.
"We invite all people and institutions linked to fisheries to review the document and send us their suggestions. This participatory process will help us fine-tune what is necessary to make the policy viable and effective," said the Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, who remarked, "Adjustments will be possible, but the direction is set."
Regarding the proposal, Produce explained that it addresses three structural causes of the sector's low performance: inadequate use of hydrobiological resources, low productivity of fishing agents, and limited commercialization in the domestic and international markets.
It is a strategic document that seeks to consolidate the pillars that, through a sustainable, inclusive, and science-based evidence approach, will boost the competitiveness of the Peruvian fishing sector in the long term. The new roadmap will help increase its contribution to GDP and generate tens of thousands of new jobs.
"This national policy is a milestone. It marks the path towards modern, profitable, and sustainable fishing. It is not just another road map: it is the instrument that will allow us to organize, plan, and multiply the social and economic impact of the sector," said Vice Minister Barrientos.
Among the main expected results, Peru's National Fisheries Policy by 2040 projects that the fisheries sector will increase its contribution to the national GDP from 0.8% to 1.29%. In addition, Produce estimates that more than 64,000 additional direct and indirect jobs will be created throughout the production chain, generating a new economic dynamic in the coastal and Amazon regions, and an estimated additional USD 467 million per year in foreign exchange.
To achieve this, the proposal outlines three priority objectives: to improve the sustainable use of resources, increase the productivity of the fishing sector, and grow the commercialization of hydrobiological products in the Peruvian domestic market.
This, Produce said, involves strengthening fisheries management, optimizing artisanal fishery landing sites, increasing investment in technological innovation, and promoting domestic consumption of marine products, a type of measures that Peru's Ministry of Production has already begun to implement.
The new regulation to manage the jumbo flying squid fishery, the recent adoption of MarinTrust's updated standard for marine ingredients, the update of its General Fisheries Law to strengthen artisanal fisheries, facilitating the artisanal fleet's access to its Satellite Tracking System, or the national food safety program are just a few examples of the steps in that direction taken in recent months.
Now, with innovation and sustainability as pillars, Peru's National Fisheries Policy by 2040 strategy continues with a push for investment in technological innovation and monitoring systems. This, Produce said, will raise fishermen's productivity by 8% to 12%, through more selective fishing methods with less ecological impact.
With respect to prioritizing the modernization of artisanal fishing landing sites, the new policy emphasizes sanitary infrastructure, which is expected to increase the confidence of shipowners and open up opportunities for local development. With the new measures, the Peruvian Ministry of Production expects an increase of up to 60% in landing operations, which will improve the production chain in fishing areas.
The third axis of the new policy is focused on strengthening the distribution chain and domestic consumption through improvements in storage, transportation, and positioning of products that will increase their perceived value by the end consumer. It is estimated that sales of products such as fresh and canned fish could grow by up to 23% at the national level, contributing to food safety and promoting a healthy, nutritious, and sustainable consumption culture.
"With this policy we are going to better plan the fishing activity, protect our first five miles, and put technology at the service of artisanal and industrial fishermen. It is a transformation with a human face," Vice Minister Jesús Barrientos concluded.
