Peru Fish Exports Up, New Plants Planned

Peru's seafood exports are up over 2007, according to Alfonso Miranda, Peru’s vice-minister of fishing.  

“We have not completed yet the last figures of December, but we can see an important growth of fishing exports of 26 percent totaling more than $2.4 billion, even though at the beginning, we only estimated $2.2 billion,” he told the Andina news agency.

The most in-demand product was fish oil because consumers had interest in its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, Miranda added. 

“The Peruvian fish oil stands out because the anchovy has a high concentration of fatty acids such as the omega-3, and this has made to increase its value,” he said.

Exports of frozen and fresh fish products grew 34 percent; exports of canned fish products increased 26 percent; and fishmeal exports grew 20 percent.

In another sign of the industry’s health, investments in the Peruvian fishing sector should total $100 million in 2009, largely focused on new canned or frozen fish plants, Miranda said.
 
Fishing investments will also be boosted by the implementation of law N° 1084, which establishes maximum catch levels per ship (LMCE in Spanish), aimed to safeguard the anchovy biomass and organize the sector.

"The implementation of the LMCE will make that a great part of the resources invested in ships and fish plants is earmarked to direct human consumption. Here we will find a great source to maintain investments despite the difficult current situation,” Miranda told Andina.
 
LMCE allows Peru to take better advantage of the free trade agreement maintained with the United States and with Asian countries, mainly China, said Miranda.

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