A comprehensive new study has found that Peru’s industrial anchovy fleet poses minimal risk to the biodiversity of the Paracas National Reserve, one of South America’s most important marine protected areas.
The report, ‘Environmental Diagnosis of the Paracas National Reserve: Oceanography, Biodiversity and Fisheries’, was released by the Humboldt Institute for Marine and Aquaculture Research (IHMA) and is based on over 20 years of data. It highlights that seabird and sea lion populations remain healthy, even in areas where anchovy fishing is active.
“The industrial anchovy fishery is one of the most regulated in the region, with real-time monitoring and strict quotas,” said Jennifer Vilches, director of IHMA.
“Our findings show that this fleet operates in a manner that is compatible with marine biodiversity conservation.”
The study estimates that the reserve sustains average annual populations of more than two million guanay cormorants, Peruvian boobies and pelicans. Numbers of South American sea lions are also increasing, indicating that the anchovy fleet, which operates under strict legal and environmental controls, is not harming the ecosystem.
Instead, the report identifies the real threats to the reserve as illegal, unreported fishing and unregulated artisanal activities within protected areas, particularly in coves like Mendieta and Laguna Grande.
Vilches stressed the need for science-based policy. “This study makes clear that well-managed industrial activity can coexist with biodiversity,” she said.
“The urgent challenge is to address the illegal and informal practices that truly endanger the Paracas Reserve.”
