CalCOFI Reports, Vol. 11, 1967 - California Cooperative Oceanic ...

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PERUVIAN FISHERIESW. F. DOUCET AND H. EINARSSONlnstituto del Mar del Per6lima, Per6INTRODUCTIONAs is true of nations with access to the sea, fishingin Peru has deep roots in history. Yet, despite its antiquity,the industry showed little sign of progressuntil the last 3 decades of the present century beyondthe simple utilization of species in fresh state and inthe salted and sun-dried forms.The turn of the 1930’s ushered in the beginning offishery industrialization. The first attempts were atfish canning, which remained on an extremely smallscale until the early 1940’s. Then, with the constructionof the Frigorific0 Nacional, experiments beganin fish freezing. However, failure to find acceptancefor the product derived, both at home and abroad,led to the discontinuation of this operation, only tobe resumed by other interests after the Second WorldWar.The outbreak of the war in 1939 opened up newproduct and market outlets. The canning industryespecially underwent great expansion when the UnitedStates entered the war, since a sudden, great demandwas created for fish in hermetically sealed containers.Salted fish was also greatly sought, and Peru began itsexports of this commodity with the creation ofUNRRA. Another product also exported during thisperiod was fish liver and oil (from tiburh, bonitoand ath).The end of hostilities in 1945 brought with it theend of Peru’s export boom of war-sought fishery products.Foreign sales of salted fish and fish liver and oilceased completely. Even canned fish (bonito) exportswere threatened, as the United States imposed restrictionsto protect its domestic production. Despitethis, however, the Peruvian canning industry managedto retain a sufficient share of markets to allowit to continue in operation without an alarming cutbackin production. Subsequently, the investment ofU.S capital in canning operations led to further expansionof this industry (1947 onwards). At thesame time, a few freezing plants were installed toproduce for the U.S. market. Such, briefly, is the storyuntil the “anchoveta rush”.The relatively recent blossoming forth of the anchovetafishery for fish meal reduction overshadowsall past fishery performance and, indeed, exemplifiesa growth pattern hardly equalled in the history of industrialdevelopment. During less than a decade(1955-1963) , the industry emerged from a position ofobscurity to occupy first place among the world’sfish meal producers. Concurrently, it became the country’sleading exporter and principal earner of foreignexchange, excelling the performance of such basicPeruvian export industries as cotton, copper, andsugar.The impact of the “anchoveta wonder” on the Peruvianeconomy was little short of explosive both intime and scope. In the short lapse of time previouslymentioned (less than 10 years), there emerged a fleetof over 1,700 modern purse seiners, a processing industryconsisting of upwards of 150 meal and oil reductionplants, and a number of auxiliary and ancillaryestablishments for boat building and repairing,machinery manufacturing and the production of otherfishing requisites. As a consequence, the economy registereda sudden upsurge in employment; and, bythe end of 1962, upwards of 100,000 people were engageddirectly or indirectly in the anchoveta fishery,more than 20 times the number employed in similaractivities 10 years previous.From the beginning of fisheries industrialization, aslate as the 1930’~~ development was conditioned uponproduction for export, with but minor reliance onthe domestic market. This growth pattern has beeneven more prevalent during the birth and expansionof the anchoveta industry. In effect, industrializationhas led to the separation of the fishing industry intotwo distinct sectors, one catering to foreign demand,the other reliant on domestic needs; and unfortunately,advances in technology and general efficiencytook place in the former almost in complete isolationof the latter. In consequence, the consumable fish industrycatering to the national market scarcely feltthe wave of industrialization.This industry, upon which the domestic fish marketis dependent for supplies, is typically a conglomerationof small boat enterprises decentralized throughoutthe country’s coastal zones. There are close to 8,500fishermen fishing in craft ranging from “caballitos ”to motor boats of 22’ to 30’ in length. Except for thewidespread substitution of nylon for cotton nets, andthe gradual acceptance of outboard and marine engines,there is little evidence of modernization in the industry.Productivity per man is low and many species aregreatly underexploited.FISHING GROUNDSFishing operations are carried on throughout mostof the Peruvian coast, which extends for 1,400 miles,with a calculated area within the 100 fathom curve ofabout 26,800 square miles, although the commercialfishery is concentrated in the central and northernzones. This concentration seems to stem from the influenceof purely physical factors, namely, the characteristicsof the coast and the width of the continentalshelf.The topography of the coast, as well as the locationof the fishing base relathe to population and businesscenters, has a known vital influence on fishery development-industrynormally locates where naturalconditions are least adverse. Where the coast is ruggedand exposed, with little or no shelter for boats andpoor landing and shipping facilities, where easy accessto market is wanting, etc., the obstacles to fisherydevelopment are difficult if not economically undesir-