328 Fish as feed inputs for aquaculture – Practices, sustainability and implications
The most important pelagic fish stocks inhabiting Peru’s relatively narrow
continental shelf are anchoveta, chub mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) and Chilean jack
mackerel (Scomber japonicus) (Table 1), which together represented 95 percent of the
catch volume in 2006. Although historically the standing stocks have been subjected
to sharp variations, apparently due more to environmental conditions than to fishing
pressure, it is clear that these stocks are potentially large and generally able to recover
from periodic declines.
Of these the anchoveta is the main species, comprising 92.5 percent stocks of the
total catch, according to 2005 records, and is mainly destined for the production of
fishmeal. Nevertheless, the utilization of this raw material in the processing of other
products with a higher added value (anchovies and other value-added products like
canned, dry and minced fish paste) has also proven to be viable.TABLE 1
Some characteristics of the main fish species in Peru, 2004
Species Average spawning size Average spawning age
Anchoveta 12 cm 12 months
Chilean jack mackerel 31 cm 3 years
Chub mackerel 32 cm 4 years
Source: ITP (undated)1.3 Fishing activity in Peru
In general terms, the Peruvian fishery industry consists of two completely different
sectors: the pelagic or industrial fishery and the demersal fishery (which includes
the small-scale or artisanal fishery). The pelagic fishery, a large-scale and relatively
modern operation, provides the raw material to the fishmeal and fish oil processing
industries and accounts for almost 92 percent of the catch by volume (Figure 4) and
approximately 91 percent of the value of fish products exports.
According to the Ministry of Production (PRODUCE, 2006b), the industrial fleet
is made up of 1 302 licensed vessels, representing a hold capacity of 222 264 m^3. The
artisanal fishery is comprised of 5 950 vessels with a hold capacity of 45 570 m^3 and
with 24 150 registered fishers. The landings are dedicated mainly to the fishmeal and
fish oil industries, which represented 91 percent of the industrial fishing activity in
2005 (Table 2). In 2005, the Peruvian fishery sector depended on the currently installed
fish processing capacity as shown in Table 3.TABLE 2
Summary of fish landings, processing and use in Peru, 2005 (thousand tonnes)
Landings* Processing** consumptionDomestic Export
Total 9 400 2 444 565 2 492
Reduction fisheries 8 629 2 221 127 2 280
Fishmeal 1 931 66 2 001
Fish oil 290 60 279
Human consumption 772 223 438 212
Fresh fish 312 323
Frozen fish 322 146 55 180
Canned fish 89 55 46 12
Cured fish 48 22 14 20
*Fish landings are measured in wet weight, while domestic consumption and export are measured in product
weight.
**Volume of processed product does not equal the totals of domestic consumption and export, as part of the
export volume in 2005 consisted of 2004 production.
Source: PRODUCE (2001, 2002, 2003a, 2004, 2005, 2006a)