Peru’s Production Ministry (PRODUCE) has canceled the North-Central anchovy fishery for the season, leaving over 1 million metric tons (MT) of available quota uncaught.
Peru set a lower quota for the North-Central season of 1.9 million MT, which was down from the 3 million MT total allowable catch set for the same fishery in 2025. Despite the season kicking off in early April, fishers had only caught 471,000 MT, according to official data, with 51.6 percent of that catch comprising juvenile anchovies.
PRODUCE announced in El Peruano that the percentage of juvenile anchovy in the fishery remained at a rate too high to allow fishing, largely due to warming waters caused by El Niño.
“The oceanographic conditions recorded during the monitoring between Paita and Huacho reaffirm the persistence of an anomalous warm scenario off the Peruvian coast during 2026,” the official announcement said, citing IMARPE, Peru’s Marine Research Institute.
According to IMARPE, data in indicated conditions were not favorable to guarantee the “adequate development of the first anchovy season of 2026.”
PRODUCE said the decision was made following “Operation EUREKA LXXVIII,” which was carried out between 15 and 18 August by IMARPE and discovered “a favorable evolution of the anchovy population” but conditions that couldn’t allow for the resumption of fishing. The evaluation found anchovy of sizes between 6 and 15 centimeters, with 65 percent juveniles making up 48 percent of the weight of the survey, along with fat content at low levels due to the environmental conditions.
“At PRODUCE, we have a clear premise: Sustainability takes precedence over any short-term decision. Scientific results indicate that we must act responsibly to protect the anchovy population, ensure the renewal of its biomass, and guarantee the continuity of this activity for the country,” Minister of Production Juan Carlos Requejo said.
The closure comes after a lengthy pause of the fishery, which started in June and has run ever since. Anchovy fishers had called for an early start to the fishing season to avoid potential economic hardship, with a typical anchovy season starting in mid-April. Despite starting weeks early, fishers still ended up failing to catch much of the quota.
PRODUCE’s decision is the latest in a string of hard years for Peru’s anchovy fishery and marks the second time in three years the fishery was entirely canceled. PRODUCE closed the first anchovy fishing in 2023, leading to more than USD 1.4 billion (EUR 1.2 billion) in lost fishmeal and fish oil exports, and then closed the second season in early 2024, leaving 25 percent of the quota in the water.
The closure comes as IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organization is reporting continued weak output of fishmeal and fish oil thanks to the El Niño phenomenon.
