February 7, 2008

IFFO publishes datasheet on Peruvian anchovy

The International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organisation (IFFO), has announced its newly published series of datasheets, "The Production of Fishmeal and Fish Oil from Peruvian Anchovy."

IFFO described the stock, fishing effort, processing and products of the world's largest feed grade (industrial) fishery responsible for 25 to 30 percent of global output of fishmeal and fish oil.

The vice ministry of Fisheries and Ministry of Production take a precautionary approach to regulating catches through controls which include closed seasons, net size restrictions, vessel licensing, catch quotas and restricted fishing areas. 

Quotas are promptly reduced in response to the periodic El Nino events, which cause short term reductions in stocks, and increased again only when the stock has sufficiently recovered. The Ethical Code of Conduct of SNP, the fishery companies' trade organisation, includes strict compliance with regulations.

Jonathan Shepherd, IFFO director general, said the controls are science-based and imposed by a government determined to protect the stock and the resource. He added that most important is that there is a third party monitoring and recording of compliance.

The International surveillance company, SGS of Switzerland has been appointed and financed by the fishing industry to monitor and record all fish landings at 130 ports on the coast of Peru 24 hours a day for government management purposes. Only authorised vessels with the correct licences are permitted to unload.

Shepherd said these datasheets are also an opportunity to correct some of the persistent misinformation and out-of-date figures quoted about feed grade fisheries.

The IFFO datasheets are published in both Spanish and English.