Mackerel fishing. Some 15,000 tonnes of this pelagic can be fished through 31 March. (Photo: NOAA)

Jack mackerel, mackerel and ‘opportune pelagics’ regulated

PERU
Friday, February 05, 2010, 02:00 (GMT + 9)

The Ministry of Production (Produce) established a provisional regime for fishing jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus murphy) and mackerel (Scomber japonicus peruanus) along the entire Peruvian coast until 31 March. The measure will span artisanal and large-scale fisheries activity.

The monthly catch limit for both species was fixed at 15,000 metric tonnes. Once the limit is reached, Produce will suspend the capture of jack mackerel and mackerel during the rest of the corresponding month.

The Peruvian Marine Research Institute (IMARPE) will monitor the compliance of norms and inform the Produce’s Directorate General of Fisheries Extraction and Processing of the findings obtained, in an effort to put forth the necessary fisheries regulation measures.

The surveillance and control will be conducted on the basis of reports of the Satellite Monitoring System (SISESAT). The Directorate General of Follow-up, Control and Surveillance, in coordination with the regional directorates of Produce, will develop a standing system of control in each landing point of the national maritime area.

If any large-scale fishing vessel is detected by SISECAT within 10 marine miles of the coastline in an interval of two hours, the authority will definitively suspend the current provisional regime.

According to data furnished by IMARPE, mackerel landings totalled 52,630 tonnes between 1 January and 8 November 2009, 7.61 per cent less than in the same period of 2008, when 56,966 tonnes were unloaded.

On that same day in 2009, some 15,851 tonnes of jack mackerel was landed, 81.67 per cent less than the 86,462 tonnes landed between 1 January and 8 November 2008.

Meanwhile, Produce will define an exploratory fishing regime of opportune pelagic resources, which appear because of the El Nino phenomenon along the national coast.

This measure authorised the wild capture of skipjack tuna, Mexican skipjack tuna, bullet tuna, jack mackerel and mackerel, among other resources, until 31 March 2010.

According to a report authored by IMARPE experts, the conditions of El Nino along the coasts of the country are temporarily modifying the spatial pattern of Peruvian sea resources.

The wild capture resources are destined exclusively to the elaboration of products for direct human consumption (DHC). This exploratory fishing regime does not grant any right with respect to access to fisheries of authorised resources for wild capture, Produce clarified.

The ministerial resolution prohibits the fishing, reception and processing of anchovy (Engraulis ringens and Anchoa nasus) and hake (Merliccius gayi peruanus), including its accompanying fauna.

Natural and legal persons with large-scale vessels and valid fishing licenses are authorised to participate in the fishing activity, independently of the hydro biological resources targeted.

Those boats must always have an operational preservation system, like RSW or frozen in optimal condition, and with a purse seiner net with a 38-millimetre-mesh minimum.

Related article and information:

- PELAGICS MARKET REPORT, 16 November 2009
- Jack mackerel, mackerel fisheries oversight stepped up

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA/NMFS

Print