Peruvian anchovy

Peruvian anchovy in Central-Southern Chile is not overfished or subject to overfishing. However, poor recruitment in recent years may affect stocks in future.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. Direct hydroacoustic surveys have been conducted biannually.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.Reference points for the stock are now available and so this rating uses the Route 1 methodology. Spawning stock biomass (SSB) of Peruvian anchovy or anchoveta in this central-southern Chile stock is estimated at 685,160 tonnes in 2023 whilst the biomass target maximum sustainable yield reference point SSBmsy proxy is 471,000. SSB has been above Bmsy since 2020/21. In 2023 SSB was above the target biomass by 45% (SSB22/23/SSBMSY = 1.455) and there is no concern for biomass.Fishing mortality (F) in 2023 was found to be below the reference point target fishing mortality (FMSY) (F22/23/FMSY = 0.74). As fishing mortality is below Fmsy there is no concern for fishing level.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. Recruitment has been low for the last two seasons.

Management is partially effective, some but not all relevant management measures are in place, however scientific advice is not being followed.The main management concerns for this fishery include TACs being set above advice, catches exceeding TACs and the absence of a harvest control rule.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 place since 2001 and are split 22% industrial sector and 78% artisanal sector since 2014. In 2023, catches slightly exceeded the preliminary TAC was set at 178,657 tonnes. However, TACs were set at nearly double scientific advice indicating that management is not adhering to scientific advice.Current management measures include restrictions on new fishery access, temporal closures during the spawning peak to protect juveniles using real-time data, a prohibition on discards unless accounted for in catch estimates, and mandatory use of vessel monitoring systems (VMS), with data shared via Global Fishing Watch (GFW). However, enforcement could be strengthened by introducing minimum landing and mesh sizes and establishing a harvest control rule to address biomass concerns.There is potential for IUU fishing, with limited data on its extent. Observer coverage is low and inconsistent, with 15.6% for the industrial fleet and 1.5% for the artisanal fleet. 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.Discarding of juveniles is high, and there are 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, but between 2016-2020, an average of 6.9 tonnes of overexploited South Pacific hake was caught annually. Recorded interactions from 2015-2020 include 5,365 marine mammals (99% sea lions) and 4,442 non-ETP (or unidentified) seabirds.Specific measures aim to reduce interactions with endangered species, such as the pink-footed shearwater, which breeds exclusively in Chile. However, central Chilean purse-seine fisheries reported significant mortality for this species (1,836 observed deaths, 62.8% mortality rate). Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti, Vulnerable) had 65 recorded interactions, with 29 mortalities in the industrial fleet. Vulnerable petrel species, Masatierra and Juan Fernandez Petrels, were also impacted, both with a 100% mortality rate.A discard and bycatch reduction plan for Araucanian herring and anchovy fisheries has been in place since 2017. However, the plan includes only non-mandatory recommendations, and implementation has been poor.Several measures aim to limit the environmental impact of this. Fisheries closures are implemented to protect Peruvian anchovy stocks during key recruitment periods, helping to maintain the food web. Since 2018, a study has been underway to evaluate bycatch in the fishery, supported by a bycatch monitoring program and a bycatch and discarding mitigation plan. While discarding is prohibited in Chile, exemptions exist. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) cover 41% of Chile's Exclusive Economic Zone, with 12% highly protected and fully implemented, providing crucial refuges for seabirds and marine mammals.However, limitations remain in the effectiveness of these measures. On average, 8.7% of fishing trips are observed between the artisanal and industrial fleets (1.5% and 15.6% respectively), with uneven monitoring across regions. Some areas have failed to submit self-reported logbooks on bycatch interactions, as this is no longer mandatory. Concerns persist about the effectiveness of management within MPAs, the lack of routine monitoring of ecosystem interactions, and the impact on endangered species such as the Peruvian pelican and sooty shearwater, which frequently interact with the fishery. Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems are identified and included in the latest version of the Fisheries Law.

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