Peru’s Ministry of Production has authorised the first 2026 fishing season for anchovy and white anchovy in the southern zone of the country, with a Maximum TAC of 251,000 tonnes.
The season runs from 1st January to 30th June – or until the authorized catch limit is reached, and this is for the maritime area between 16°00’S and the southernmost point of Peru’s EEZ. The quota allocation is based on technical reports from IMARPE, which indicate a healthy biomass of the resource.
Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Jesús Barrientos, stated that this decision reflects responsible resource management.
‘This season’s authorisation is based strictly on scientific criteria and a sustainability approach that allows us to utilize the anchovy, ensure its future availability, and provide predictability to fishing activity in the south of the country,’ he said.
The regulation stipulates that only vessels with a valid fishing permit and a Maximum Catch Limit per Vessel (MCV) assigned for the Southern Zone can participate in the fishery, plus an obligation for continuous satellite monitoring. It also limits the fishery to purse seine gear with a set minimum mesh size and other parameters.
Processing plants must have a valid operating license and strictly comply with the surveillance and control programme. The receipt of resources from unauthorised, artisanal, or quota-less vessels is prohibited, and infringements can result in an immediate suspension.
