Growing Into Poverty: Reconstructing Peruvian Small-Scale Fishing Effort Between 1950 and 2018

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries are globally marginalized by management institutions; thus, they have to endure the consequences of ineffective regulations, environmental uncertainty, social traps and market inequity. Small-scale fisheries in Peru, one of the world's leading fishing countries, are important contributors to national employment, food security and gross domestic product. Yet, relatively little is known about these fisheries and their evolution, except for the fact that the Peruvian small-scale fleet size is rapidly increasing. Here, we reconstructed small-scale fishing effort across time and developed several indicators using it to assess changes in the fleet's fishing efficiency and economic performance. Segmented regression analysis was used to identify statistically significant breakpoints and changes in their trajectories between 1950 and 2018. Our results suggest that fishing effort has strongly increased, and at much faster rates than the catches, particularly since 2006. The combined effect of these trends results in significant declines in the fleet's ratio indicators (i.e., catch per unit of effort, revenue per unit of effort, and fisher's incomes relative to Peru's minimum wage), suggesting that the growing fishing effort is unsustainable and uneconomic. The behavior of these indicators differs within the fleet, depending on the vessel's main fishing method. Most small-scale fishers are currently living in relative poverty. Yet, fishers using the least selective fishing gears, or engaged in illegal fishing, had the most stable incomes over the past decade. These findings are discussed in detail by exploring the social, legal and economic drivers fostering fleet growth. Finally, a list of general recommendations aimed at improving fisheries sustainability and fisher's wellbeing was produced, based on the local context, fisheries literature and common sense.

Promoting Cooperation of Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance of IUU Fishing in the Asia-Pacific

“…One study also discusses that two factors (the number of commercially important species and the proximity of ports of convenience) can increase a risk of IUU fishing, mainly in offshore and distant water fisheries [130]. In contrast, fishers in coastal areas may be driven to poach for need (e.g., financial necessities, poverty, long-term unemployment) or just for selfconsumption [131,132]. Other reasons include a political act of fishers to express their opposition against newly introduced regulations when they deem it unreasonable [133], or simply the lack of awareness among them [134].…”

Reconnecting with the past and anticipating the future: A review of fisheries‐derived cultural ecosystem services in pre‐Hispanic Peru

“…When comparing industrial and SSF are the main providers of seafood for direct human consumption along the Peruvian coast and they generate most job opportunities (Christensen et al, 2014;Palacios-Abrantes et al, 2018). Unfortunately, due to the magnitude of industrial landings and their national economic importance (mainly focused on fishmeal production for exportation based on anchovies-Engraulis ringens), SSF have not been politically nor socially prioritized (De La Puente et al, 2020;McKinley et al, 2018).…”

“…Thus, SSF are presently subject to mismanagement and overexploitation, while their fishers are growing into poverty (De La Puente et al, 2020). By exploring the deeply rooted and historical relationships coastal Peruvians have with marine and coastal ecosystems, we hope to contribute to a revaluation of SSF's overall importance: not only regarding SSF as a food-producing activity, but also as a way of life derived from our ancient relationships with the sea that needs active protection (Acheson, 1981;Chuenpagdee & Jentoft, 2019).…”

“…by decision-makers(De La Puente et al, 2020). Due to a myopic focus on total catch rather than food security or employment, SSF continue to be systematically neglected within political processes, with little success at protecting, regulating or adequatelymanaging them over the last 70 years, resulting in problems such as overfishing and profit dissipation (De La Puente et al, 2020; Gutiérrez et al, 2017; López de la Lama et al, 2018; Nakandakari et al, 2017).…”

DNA barcoding reveals overlooked shark and bony fish species in landing reports of small-scale fisheries from northern Peru

“…In Peru, estimated total landings of SSF during 2018 were around 1.1 million tons (De la Puente et al 2020). However, despite its social and economic importance, most Peruvian SSFs have weak management systems (De la Puente et al 2020;Gozzer-Wuest et al 2021), limited records and low taxonomic resolution on fisheries landings (Velez-Zuazo et al 2015;Amorós et al 2017). Landing data from Peruvian SSFs is gathered by the Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE) through a network of field observers (Guevara-Carrasco and Bertrand 2017).…”