More than 170 artisanal fishers in Atiquipa formalize their fishing activities
This process is part of the implementation of the Fisheries Management Regulation for Benthic Marine Invertebrate Resources (ROP RIMB), which promotes a different fisheries management model in Peru: area-based management. This approach is implemented through the creation of Fisheries Reserve Zones (ZRP), where artisanal fishing organizations can directly manage resources in a differentiated and sustainable manner through the development and implementation of extraction plans.
Artisanal fishing organizations from the Agua Salada and Santa Rosa communities have been actively participating in this process, seeking to move beyond challenges such as informal fishing, conflicts over access to shared fishing grounds, low incomes, and the decline in the abundance and size of the main species they harvest.
© WWF-Perú
With the technical and legal support of WWF Peru, fishers have strengthened their capacities through training on fisheries regulations, responsible resource management, and organizational development. They have also made progress in defining their potential fisheries reserve zones, identifying target species for sustainable harvesting, and implementing sanitary monitoring points to ensure the quality and safety of their products.
One of the most significant achievements has been the management of fishing permits for non-vessel artisanal fishers, a key requirement for operating formally and gaining access to Fisheries Reserve Zones (ZRPs). These zones are central to the ROP RIMB framework and grant fishers priority access to extract resources such as octopus, limpets, barquillo shellfish, sea urchins, and chanque through extraction plans.
© WWF-Perú
“As part of this effort, the organizations requested that the Regional Production Management Office of Arequipa issue fishing permits for non-vessel fishers, an administrative right they initially did not have and which prevented them from carrying out their activities within a formal framework”, said Aaron Canepa, Markets and Fisheries Officer at WWF Peru.
To date, the Agua Salada organization has obtained 100 fishing permits, while Santa Rosa has secured 59 and is awaiting the issuance of 14 additional permits. Once the process is completed, a total of 173 artisanal fishers in Atiquipa will have been formally recognized.
This progress not only improves working conditions for fishing communities but also strengthens the implementation of a new fisheries management model in the country, one that is more organized, sustainable, and capable of delivering direct benefits to those who depend on the sea.
© WWF-Perú
