GOED Details Peruvian Fish Stocks

With the health of global fish stocks a pressing concern, the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED; Salt Lake City) reports that stocks of Peruvian anchovy appear healthy in time for the second fishing season of the year. Peruvian anchovy provide a significant amount of omega-3 to the global food and feed industries.

GOED says that biomass surveys are in for anchovy dwelling in North-Central and South Peruvian regions. The surveys are provided by the Instituto del Mar de Peru (IMARPE), which advises the Peruvian government on fisheries management. The North-Central region is estimated to house 10.3 million tons of anchovy this season-just 3% of which are juvenile fish-and biomass for the South region is projected at 1.87 million tons. IMARPE is suggesting fishing quotas of 2.3 million tons for North-Central and 430 thousand tons for the more sensitive South region.

The current projections for allowed fishing bode well for the sustainability of Peruvian anchovy, according to GOED.

“GOED members will remember that one year ago…an extremely low quota of 810,000 tons was issued, and there was speculation at the time [regarding] whether this was due to overfishing or changes in the weather,” says GOED. “With both quotas for 2013 showing numbers more in keeping with traditional historical figures, the fishery is trending in the right direction with sustainability at the forefront.”

Peru’s anchovy fishing season takes place from November 2013 to January 2014. Monthly quotas will be issued for the more sensitive South region.