Fishing in Peru has existed for thousands of years, beginning as small fishing communities who lived off the ocean. By the 1400s, these communities became organized under the Inca Empire, and they developed, or had already developed, economic specialization.
Fishing and fisheries did not develop economically until post-World War II. Economic development came as a result of the fishmeal industry, which largely depended on fishing Peruvian anchovetas. The industry allowed the economy to expand and, by the 1960s, Peru became the largest single-species fishery in the world; however, the industry collapsed in the 1970s as a result of the 1972 Peruvian anchoveta crisis, triggered primarily by overfishing and an El Niño event.
A state-owned corporation, Pesca Perú, was created to take over the commercial fishing industry after its collapse. The corporation would continue its control over the industry until reprivatization efforts emerged in 1991 and concluded in 1998. Another El Niño event in 1998 disrupted landings again and caused several companies to go bankrupt due to the shortage of landings.
Fishing continues as a major sector of the economy of Peru. In 2008, the sector fished over 7.3 million tonnes of aquatic resources, from both the Pacific Ocean and from inland waters. Most recently, in 2022 the sector fished over 5.5 million tonnes of aquatic resources. It is also the largest fishmeal producer, surpassing the European Union's production by over 50,000 tonnes in 2018. As the largest fishmeal and fish oil producer, it typically accounts for between one-fourth and one-third of global trade. Aquaculture is another industry that has seen major development and growth, expanding from just about 6,500 tonnes in 2000 to over 140,000 tonnes in 2022. The fishing industry in Peru is a major source of employment, providing over 121,000 with jobs in 1999, over 145,000 in 2007, somewhere between 160,000 and 232,000 jobs in 2013, and supporting about 700,000 jobs in 2021, as stated by The Economist.
Several governmental and non-profit organizations exist that play a major role in the Peruvian fishing industry, whether through creating and enforcing regulations, funding projects and programs, collecting data, or other activities.
Fishing areas Fishing largely takes place in the Pacific Ocean and along Peru's coastline, as well as in inland areas like lakes and rivers.
EEZ/Mar de Grau and marine protected areas (MPAs)
The EEZ of Peru extends 200 nautical miles off the coast. The corresponding territorial claims that Peru makes matches the area that the EEZ covers and is called the Mar de Grau, named after Miguel Grau Seminario, a military officer who fought against Chile in the War of the Pacific. In total, the area is about 857,000 km2 (~331,000 square miles), with about 4,030 km2 (~1,560 square miles) of that area designated for Peru's eight marine protected areas and for the four marine managed areas.
Since 2017, non-profit organizations such as Oceana and the Wyss Foundation had been endorsing the creation of an MPA in the Nazca Ridge, which would be the largest yet and bring the total percentage of Peru's EEZ under protection from 0.48% to about 6.5%, with the total proposed area approximately 50,000 km2, or about 19,300 square miles. Oceana granted about $845,000 in a two-year program to encourage the creation of the Nazca Ridge MPA, along with other goals like helping complete Peru's marine spatial planning. In October 2019, Peru's minister of the environment Fabiola Muñoz pledged to create the area by 2021. At the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, held on September 30, 2020, Peru's president Martin Vizcarra announced that he would be creating the area by the end of 2020, also intending to protect 30% of Peru's waters by 2030.
On June 5, 2021, the Peruvian government made a decree that officially established the Nazca Ridge National Reserve MPA, totaling an area of about 62,392 km2 (24,089 square miles). In Spanish called the Reserva Nacional Dorsal de Nasca, it covers approximately 7.3% of Peru's EEZ. With its establishment, the percentage of Peru's EEZ under protection rose to about 7.8%, nearly 8%. However, the management of the area is under harsh criticism, as it still permits fishing in a direct-use zone to a depth as far as 1,000 meters, with only strict protection from 1,000 to 4,000 meters. Oceana and some 20 other organizations joined together and called the actions of fishing in protected areas illegal, however, Peru's ministry responded claiming that the amount of fishing would be insignificant.
Chile and Peru are believed to be the creators of the concept of EEZs, as in 1947, both governments agreed upon and established maritime zones 200 nautical miles off of each other's coasts. Although the Peruvian government makes these territorial claims, the claims are not officially recognized by the United States.
Inland areas Inland areas experience fishing, although on a smaller scale. Inland fishing occurs mainly in the Amazon Rainforest region of Peru, in the rivers, and in swamps. Fishing also occurs in the Peruvian Sierra and in Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America. In 2007, the inland fisheries caught about 43,000 tonnes of fish. Much of the inland fishing is largely artisanal and for subsistence, not necessarily for commercial or productive purposes.
Fishing
Artisanal fishing
Artisanal fishing, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization, is composed of individuals that do not have a fishing vessel or have one that has a capacity of up to 32.6 cubic meters and has a length of up to 15 meters. Work should mostly be done manually to be categorized as artisanal fishing. Small-scale fisheries are defined similarly, although they employ modern fishing methods and gear. In 2008, artisanal fishers were reported to have caught about 721,000 tonnes, mostly for direct human consumption, or DHC. Artisanal fishers are said to provide 80% of the fish consumed in Peru, as of 2023. Artisanal fishing is important in Peru as it acts as a good source of employment and food for the working class, mitigating poverty, unemployment, and starvation.
Over 67,000 fishers are employed in the artisanal fishing sector, as of 2020. This is compared to about 28,000 fishers in 1995 and about 37,700 fishers in 2005. The northern region of Peru is especially a source of artisanal fishers, with over 16,000 as of 2019. As of 2005, over half of the fishers have secondary education and about 7.1% have higher education. Every fisher is part of some trade association, trade union, marine association, collective, or other type of organization. Artisanal fishers have exclusive commercial rights to conduct fishing operations within 5 miles of the Peruvian coast, although fishing may extend beyond 10 nautical miles. About 200 fishing settlements are involved along the coast, harvesting over 220 different species of marine life. The marine artisanal fishery contributed an average 19% of the total annual catch between 2004 and 2017. Artisanal fishers utilize several different fishing gears and methods, including driftnet, hook-and-line, compressor diving, purse seine, surface longline, and trawl nets. They also use their hands to gather sea resources such as algae and mollusks.
Inland artisanal fishers control the most important inland fishery in the Peruvian Amazon and they mainly fish for subsistence. The region caught over 36,600 tonnes in 2005 and 25,300 tonnes in 2013. Local artisanal inland fishing also occurs in rivers such as the Jequetepeque River.
One major target species of artisanal fishers is the jumbo flying squid. Artisanal fishers make up most of the jumbo flying squid fishery. The artisanal fleet contributes to 45% of the world's catch of jumbo flying squid, having caught over 500,000 tonnes in 2019. This accounts annually for about 9% to 15% of the Peruvian fisheries sector's GDP, producing over US$850 million in exports in 2019, with 30% exported to the United States and European Union. Over US$180 million in revenue was produced by the fishery in 2020. Between 2010 and 2019, 38% of the jumbo flying squid catch was used for DHC and represented 59% of the value of seafood exports used for DHC. Over 20,000 fishers are believed to be directly employed in the jumbo flying squid fishery, as of 2018. This figured has grown to about 31,200 people employed to directly catch the squid, and 12,000 employed to process frozen squid products, as of 2020.
Mahi-mahi, also known as the dolphinfish, is another major target species of artisanal fishers. It is the second-largest artisanal fishery, just behind the jumbo flying squid fishery, providing jobs for over 10,000 fishers. 50% of the world's catch of dolphinfish is from Peru, generating between US$90 million and US$100 million in exports. Altogether, the jumbo flying squid and mahi-mahi fisheries have more than 3,300 vessels.
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing has been a major part of the fishing industry in Peru since post-World War II. In 1950, Peru yielded about 72,500 tonnes of fish; However, by the 1960s, Peru became the largest fishing country in the world. There were less than 100 fishing vessels in 1953, but by 1964, there were over 1,600. The primary reason for this development was because of the need for food resources during World War II, and Peru was seen as a possible source for seafood. In 1941, the Peruvian government requested for the United States to conduct a study of their waters, so the US Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a survey and recorded the abundant marine resources, noting that industrial development was possible. Shortly after in the 1950s and 1960s, investors and industrialists began investing into the fishing industry, hoping to seek a profit from the growing industry. Notable investors included Pfizer, General Mills, and the Peruvian industrialist Luis Banchero Rossi.
Commercial fishing in Peru focused mainly on one species, the Peruvian anchoveta, as it can be used to make fishmeal, a highly profitable by-product. As of 2022, the Peruvian anchoveta remains the most captured fish in the Peruvian fishing industry, with 86.7% of all marine landings being the Peruvian anchoveta. At its peak in 1970, the commercial fishing industry landed over 12.5 million tonnes of fish. The fishing industry in Peru continued to thrive until 1972, when a combination of factors, notably heavy overfishing and the 1972-1973 El Niño event, led to the collapse of the industry in the 1972 Peruvian anchoveta crisis. As a result, in 1973, General Juan Velasco Alvarado nationalized the fishmeal industry, replacing it with a state-owned corporation, Pesca Perú, proceeding to take over thousands of assets from over 80 firms, including 1,255 ships and 99 factories. The corporation continued handling the commercial fishing industry until reprivatization efforts emerged starting in 1991 and concluding in 1998. Investment reemerged, although slowed after another El Niño event occurred in 1998 which again substantially lowered landings and drove some companies into bankruptcy. The event resulted in a drop of anchovy catches by 80% and a reduction of exports by 66%. Landings rebounded the next year in 1999 back to over 8.4 million tonnes of total fish landings.
As of 2024, commercial fishing continues yielding millions of tonnes of fish landings every year. Most recently in 2022, 5.5 million tonnes of fish were caught. The subsectors for fishmeal, fish oil, canned, frozen, and cured products also produce thousands of tonnes of products every year.
Fishmeal and fish oil industry