The president of the Sociedad Nacional de Pesquería, Jéssica Luna, warned that the sector's paralysis due to the El Niño phenomenon will last a year and asked the Government for tax and social protection measures to prevent the closure of supplier companies.
The industrial fishing sector is going through one of its worst crises in decades due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon. The suspension of the first anchovy fishing season in May and the lack of conditions to develop a second one have left the industry practically paralyzed, with economic and labor consequences that will extend until next year.
"We are experiencing a fishing pandemic, a fishing COVID," warned Jessica Luna, president of the Sociedad Nacional de Pesquería (SNP), in an interview with Economía para Todos on RPP, especially due to the paralysis of fishing activity, which will result in job losses.
The guild's representative warned that the crisis threatens the entire production chain and could lead to the loss of nearly 100,000 jobs between this year and next.
According to a study prepared by Apoyo Consultoría for the SNP, the absence of a second fishing season would increase the number of jobs lost this year to 81,000. Another 20,000 jobs would be added to this figure in 2027, in a scenario where the first season of next year could also be delayed until May or June.
"What we need is oxygen to take care of our production chain," said Luna, who pointed out that the paralysis affects not only large fishing companies but also small vessel owners, crew members, and suppliers who depend on this activity.
The fishing crisis would also have a strong impact on the Peruvian economy. According to estimates presented by the SNP, the sector's total contribution, considering its direct and indirect effects, would go from representing 2.1% of the gross domestic product (GDP) to around 1% this year.
This would imply a reduction of S/ 14 billion in its economic contribution, according to the calculation cited by Luna.
The guild representative explained that the impact affects companies that provide equipment and machinery maintenance services, transport, food, laundry, and security. Many of them are small and medium-sized enterprises that face difficulties in accessing credit while the activity remains suspended.
In total, some 250,000 people depend directly and indirectly on the fishing chain, according to the SNP. The guild's concern is that the lack of income will cause the closure of suppliers and the loss of workers, which would hinder recovery when sea conditions improve.
The president of the SNP stated that, although there is dialogue with the Ministry of Production, concrete measures are still needed to mitigate job losses and prevent companies from losing their operational capacity.
In this context, the guild has proposed three groups of measures:
Guarantee health coverage for crew members: the SNP argues that workers from steel and wooden fleets have lost their EsSalud coverage by ceasing to contribute during the period of paralysis. Therefore, it requests an urgent solution to maintain their health protection.
Postpone tax obligations: it proposes to postpone until December 2027 the advance payments of income tax and the payments of the Temporary Tax on Net Assets (ITAN). According to the guild, both measures would inject S/ 143 million of liquidity into companies to cover fixed costs, protect employment, and support their suppliers.
Facilitate tax installment payments and access to credit: for owners of wooden vessels included in Law N.º 26920, it proposes measures to allow them to recover the installment payment of their tax debts. In addition, it proposes extraordinary financing with a state guarantee for some 300 family businesses that have difficulties obtaining credit from commercial banks.
Luna clarified that these proposals do not seek to condone debts or provide subsidies or bonuses. The objective, she assured, is to allow companies to meet their obligations when they recover their income.
"We are not asking to be exempt from taxes or to stop paying. We are asking to be allowed to pay later," she explained.
The crisis also affects artisanal fishing. Luna indicated that, according to information handled by the guild, landings in this segment would have fallen by around 60%.
In industrial fishing, the lower availability of anchovy has not been able to be compensated by other species. The SNP representative pointed out that there is practically no jack mackerel or mackerel under usual conditions, while squid maintains a similar performance to last year.
Another temporary alternative is samasa, a warm-water species whose exploratory fishing was authorized by the Ministry of Production. However, Luna warned that this resource will not compensate for the loss of income for families who depend on the activity.
The concern also extends to the northern coastal regions, where the fishing paralysis coincides with the onset of more intense rains due to El Niño.
"I am concerned about the risks of social unrest," Luna said, warning that thousands of families face economic difficulties and could also be affected by natural disasters.
The president of the SNP insisted that the Government must act urgently to prevent a temporary climate crisis from permanently weakening the fishing industry and its entire chain of suppliers.
