October 10, 2013

Peru's anchovy biomass reaches 2.1 million tonnes in September

Due to the fisheries management undertaken by the government of Peru, the country's anchovy biomass is recovering and has reached 2.1 million tonnes in September of this year.

This was announced by the head of the Ministry of Production (Produce), Gladys Triveño.

Triveño said that the scientific research surveys conducted by experts from the Instituto del Mar del Peru (Imarpe) reported that the biomass of the pelagic resource in the north-central area was 10,273,433 tonnes and in the southern zone it was 1,874,624 tonnes.

"The results of these surveys show that the anchovy situation is better than it was a year ago due to fisheries management," she said. She added that before starting the fisheries management last year, it only recorded an anchovy biomass of 5.3 million tonnes in the northern-central zone of Peru.

She also highlighted that in 2012 "very little biomass" was found, forcing the Ministry to reduce the quota quite a lot. "The recovery process has cost the Ministry a lot but we will continue on that path," he ensured.

To Produce, it is necessary "to continue with a precautionary approach at capture level because it has been confirmed that there is one age group that will support the capture activity in the northern-central area."

Furthermore, in the northern-central area 82.29% of the biomass is found outside the 10 mile, and outside the mile seven it is 73% of the biomass determined in the southern zone.

"The two most important indicators of the reproductive activity of the north-central stock show levels that are above the critical values so the priority is to protect the anchovy reproductive process and the juvenile specimens," the ministry stated in a press release.

The main objective is "to ensure the sustainability of the stock and its fishery," Produce stated.