Peruvian authorities have announced a quota of 2.1 million metric tons for the second half of the anchovy fishery season in the north-central part of the country.
According to a statement from Peru’s National Society of Fisheries (SNP), the quota set by the country’s Ministry of Production (PRODUCE) is cautionary and was set to ensure four million metric tons (MT) of adult anchovy for the next fishing season.
“We are in the normal quota range for the second season, that goes from 2 to 2.5 million tons. Upon establishing the quota, the ministry has taken into account the probability of a weak El Niño weather cycle, which we do not consider will impact fishing activities in the coming weeks,” SNP President Elena Contero said.
Peruvian fishing authorties expect the season’s catch to generate around USD 800 million (EUR 710 million) in exports.
In terms of timing, the season will start on Thursday, 15 November, and Peur’s industrial fleet is expected to haul in 400,000 MT by the end of November, an additional one million MT in December, and 700,000 MT in January 2019.. Authorities expect that the season will generate USD 50 million (EUR 44.4 million) in income for fishery crews.
Contero said that when considering landings through 2018, both in the north-central as well as the south, “combined with landing projections for the rest of the year, we should close with approximately 5.5 million tons of anchovy, surpassing levels seen in the last six years, when the total was below four million.”
This growth is expected to contribute up to one percentage point to Peru’s GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The quota includes anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) and white anchoveta (Anchoa nasus), according to official documents announcing the season.
