Peru’s anchovy fishery has registered 830,000 metric tons (MT) of landings in November, far surpassing the last two year’s figures and the highest amount since 2013.
According to a statement from Peru’s National Fisheries Society (SNP), landings registered for the anchovy’s second season vastly outnumbered the 6,000 MT in 2017 and nearly doubled the 2016 figure of 445,000 MT.
“With these numbers, it is very probable that this year we will fish the entire quota. At the SNP, we reaffirm our commitment to responsible and sustainable activity, based on science and data,” SNP President Elena Conterno said in a press release.
The second anchovy season is focused in Peru’s north-central region and feeds its fishmeal and fish oil industry. Authorities estimate that it will generate around USD 800 million (EUR 704 million) in exports, and USD 50 million (EUR 44 million) of income for fishing crews.
For the year, the SNP projects a total catch of six million MT of anchovy, which would be the highest in the last six years, during which the total amount has not surpassed four million MT.
One of Peru’s leading processor, Austral Group, has produced 4,808 MT of fishmeal and 181 MT of fish oil, with a high-quality level of 88 percent super-prime and prime. The firm has four plants in the area and 20 fishing boats.
The SNP said that Peru’s Minister of Production Raúl Pérez-Reyes visited the Austral Group’s facilities in November to confirm the sustainability of its operation.
“We are very happy to receive the visit of minister Pérez-Reyes and show him our model of excellence based on management that focuses on continued improvements, eco-efficiency, quality and innovation,” Austral Group general manager Adriana Giudice said in the statement.
Photo courtesy of SNP
