February 8, 2013

Peru's National Fisheries Society (SNP) estimates that fish exports will generate about US$3,000 million this year, a figure slightly lower than that of last year, when US$3,268 million were obtained.

"We hope weather conditions to be better this year, and in fact there is a change in the weather as the sea is a little colder," said SNP president, Richard Inurritegui.

He pointed out that at this moment there are cooling conditions at sea and the summer cruise completion, aimed at knowing the status of the main resources, is expected. According to statistics from the SNP, 2012 total exports grew by 5.12% with respect to export sales made in 2011.

Of this total, fishery products for indirect human consumption (IHC) for US$2,307 million were exported, up 11.3% from a year earlier. Meanwhile, exports for direct human consumption (HCD) contributed US$961 million, 6.9% less than in 2011.

Inurritegui reported that sales of fishmeal were valued at US$1,783 million, an amount that reflects an increase of 2.4% compared with 2011. Exports of canned and processed seafood amounted to US$120 million, up 5.9% from a year earlier, while sales of frozen products fell 8%, to US$786 million.

Inurritegui also commented that there was a 42% drop in the discharge of marine species in 2012 and 40% in production. However, he expects there will be better landings and fisheries production, thanks to the dynamism of international markets.

"We hope to maintain the quota for HDC, which might increase if tuna and jumbo flying squid fishing are encouraged," he added.