Peruvian anchovy

Peruvian anchovy in Central-Southern Chile is not subject to overfishing and is not overfished.Stock assessments are carried out by the Fisheries Development Institute – Chilean Fisheries Research Institute (IFOP). The most recent stock assessment was published in 2023 using data up to 2023. The stock assessment defines reference points for fishing pressure (F) and biomass (B). For fishing pressure, there is a target to keep F at or below Maximum Sustainable Yield (FMSY). For biomass, there is a target to keep B at or above BMSY.Spawning stock biomass (SSB) of Peruvian anchovy or anchoveta in the central-southern Chile stock is estimated at 86,044 tonnes in 2023 whilst the biomass target maximum sustainable yield reference point SSBmsy proxy is 52,200. SSB has been above Bmsy since 2019. In 2022 SSB was above the target biomass by 19% (SSB2023/SSBMSY = 1.65) and there is no concern for biomass.Fishing mortality (F= 0.86) in 2023 was at the target level for fishing mortality (F2023/FMSY = 0.99), this is the first time since 2018 fishing mortality has been below target levels. As fishing mortality is reported below FMSY there is no concern for fishing pressure.Recruitment for the stock is influenced by environmental and oceanic conditions such as El Niño and La Niña, which may, alongside fishing pressure, affect the SSB of the species, particularly under a changing climate. Strong recruitment since 2016 has resulted in improved stock status.

Management is partially effective, some but not all relevant management measures are in place.Some management measures are in place. However, key issues include the absence of a harvest control rule, catches being above TAC and advice, and the limited observer coverage.Peruvian anchovy fisheries are divided into three units: Regions XV-II, III-IV, and V-X. Chilean anchovy management is overseen by the Chilean Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SUBPESCA), based on recommendations from Fisheries Development Institute (Chile) (IFOP). A management plan is required to ensure sustainability under Chilean Fisheries Law and includes Peruvian anchovy and Araucanian herring, which cannot be targeted separately due to their mixed nature.Total Allowable Catches (TACs) have been in are split equally between the industrial artisanal sectors, even though there have been no industrial landings since 2012. In 2023, preliminary TAC was set at 35,040 tonnes, which was in line with scientific advice. However, in 2022 catches were 34% above TACs, due to the allowance to catch remnants from 2021 (2021 remnants catch: 19,000 tonnes). Since 2021, TAC remnants are allowed to be captured at the beginning of the following year's season. The remnants measure states that in no case the catches allowed to be taken should surpass 30% of the set TAC, this has not been followed in 2022. Therefore, catches are exceeding TAC and advice.A management plan for Peruvian anchovy, required under Chilean Fisheries Law, aims to ensure sustainability as outlined in the fisheries act, the plan was approved in 2017. Management measures relevant to the fishery include restricting new access to the fishery and implementing temporal closures during the spawning peak to protect juveniles, supported by real-time data. The use of vessel monitoring systems (VMS) is mandatory, with tracking data made publicly available through Global Fishing Watch (GFW). Sanctions are enforced for violations, including operating unlicensed vessels, illegal discarding, improper logbook use, failure to report landings, fishing outside the permitted area or fishery, and industrial vessels exceeding their quota.There is potential for IUU fishing, with limited data on its extent. Observer coverage is low and inconsistent, with only 4.5% of trips being. Monitoring is overseen by SERNAPESCA, but discard estimates are uncertain due to low observer coverage and reliance on visual species proportions in the mixed fishery.There is no harvest control rule to reduce fishing if there are biomass concerns. There are also discrepancies in self-reported logbooks and landings data. Recent research supports separate management of Regions III-IV and V-X. While ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) is integrated into the Chilean Fisheries Act, its application faces challenges. Fishers cannot distinguish between anchoveta and Araucanian herring before netting, leading to calls for a common TAC. However, combined management could risk one species if stocks perform differently. Overall, management measures are only partially effective.

Peruvian anchovy is caught by purse seiners in central Chile. There has little to no impact on ecosystems however there are some bycatch concerns.Most Peruvian anchovy are caught using purse seines, which generally avoid contact with the seafloor, though bycatch remains a concern. Observers report that bycatch in this mixed fishery is rare. Bycatch in the fishery includes various commercial species, with Peruvian anchovy and mackerel discarded only when boats reach capacity. Limited data make it unclear whether the fishery impacts the collapsed South American pilchard stock, which accounts for less than 1% of the catch. Some fish species restricted for purse seine fishing have small catch allowances.Accidental interactions involved eight species in the fishery, including one mammal, the South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens), which accounted for most interactions. Seven seabird species were also reported, five of which are non-ETP species. Mortality rates were particularly high for the Peruvian booby and Neotropical cormorant (100% when caught). Two endangered seabirds were identified: the Peruvian diving-petrel (Pelecanoides garnotii) and the Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti). Interactions with ETP species were minimal, and the fishery's impact on these populations remains unassessed.A bycatch and discarding mitigation plan has been published by the Management Committee. However, it does not include specific measures for E species beyond the legal requirement for the safe release of marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds. National regulations mandate that these species cannot be captured and must be returned to the sea. Broader rules are also in place to reduce bycatch and discards across fisheries, including the anchoveta fishery.Several measures aim to limit the environmental impact of this. Fisheries closures are used to protect stocks during the main recruitment period, reducing food web impacts. Since 2018, a study has been underway to evaluate bycatch, supported by an active monitoring program and a bycatch and discarding mitigation plan. Discarding is prohibited in Chile, though exemptions exist. Five major Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), covering 41% of Chile’s Exclusive Economic Zone (with 12% highly protected), provide refuges for seabirds and marine mammals.However, there are significant limitations to these measures. Observer coverage is low, averaging only 4.5%, and monitoring varies across regions. Self-reporting logbooks, once mandatory, are now inconsistently submitted, hindering accurate bycatch assessments. Management effectiveness within MPAs is uncertain, and there is no routine monitoring of ecosystem interactions. Data on bycatch species, particularly the collapsed South American pilchard, is insufficient to determine the fishery’s impact. The Peruvian diving petrel, an endangered species, is the primary at-risk species interacting with the fishery.Improved bycatch reporting and more robust evidence on the effectiveness of environmental protection measures, including the extent of benthic gear interactions, are essential for ensuring sustainable practices.