The Peruvian delegation’s focus at the 14th South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) meeting in Panama City will be on jack mackerel and giant squid, and will seek to strengthen measures to conserve these key species, given the increase in catches in the southern Pacific.
The Peruvian delegation will be headed by vice-minister of fisheries and aquaculture Jesús Barrientos Ruiz, and will include representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and marine research institute IMARPE, as well as industry and artisanal fishing bodies, at the meeting, at which 17 member nations will be represented.
‘Our delegation will attend with a technical and coordinated position to protect Peru’s rights and interests regarding its fisheries on the high seas and ensure that regional decisions are based on scientific evidence and transparent management,’ the vice-minister stated.
‘The objective is to reach agreements that strengthen the sustainability of the giant squid and other transboundary resources, enabling the development of fisheries for human consumption in Peru, paving the way for dignified and safe work for our artisanal fishers, and promoting fairer and more balanced international governance for all member countries of the SPRFMO.’
Peru aims to promote initiatives designed to improve the management of jack mackerel, to establish a buffer zone for giant squid fishing, and to strengthen the traceability of operations on the high seas, while guaranteeing differentiated conditions for identifying the artisanal fleet that harvests squid beyond the 200-mile limit.
‘Peru reaffirms its commitment to the development of sustainable high seas fishing, the strengthening of coastal states, the fight against illegal fishing of aquatic resources, and the defense of national interests in multilateral decision-making forums,’ Jesús Barrientos Ruiz said.
