Earth Today | Reducing vulnerability of Peru’s artisanal fishing families

Artisanal Fishers in vulnerable coastal areas of Peru are striving to adapt to warming waters and rising seas, as well as potential changes to currents and species migrations due to climate change and overfishing offshore.

With its nutrient-rich waters, Peru has one of the most productive fisheries in the world. A large portion of the sector is composed of local artisanal fishermen, a majority of whom live in poverty despite providing the main source of food for many coastal residents. But change is happening.

Through an innovative project funded by the Adaptation Fund and implemented by the Peruvian Trust Fund for National Parks and Protected Areas (Profonanpe environmental fund) and the Peruvian government (Ocean Institute and Ministry of Production), small fishing communities on the northern and southern coasts are building resilience to climate threats by adopting sustainable fishing practices, diversifying livelihoods, enhancing food security and seafood quality while restoring the natural marine ecosystems that they depend on – and raising their incomes in the process.

The US$ 7 million Direct Access project, financed through the Adaptation Fund and which began in May 2018, focuses on directly reducing the vulnerabilities of 500 fishers in the coves of Máncora in the north, and 200 in the coves of Huacho in the south. Thousands more will benefit indirectly.

“With effort, dedication, and care, you achieve what you set outto do. And, having this project at the helm, it will be much better. I would say that it is working well and that we must continue,” said Marcelino Gonzales, a fisher of the Artisanal Fishermen’s Guild of El Nuro Cove in Máncora, which has been able to sell products directly and participate in fish fairs thanks to the project.

They had previously marketed their products through multiple intermediaries for several years.

FISHING GEAR

Other project actions are enhancing employment in processing fish products, access to international markets through sustainable fishery certifications, resource management and recovery of depleted species, use of sustainable fishing gear like long lines that reduce by catch and fuel costs, and aquaculture diversification such as scallop and clam cultivation in fishing cooperatives.

The project also aims to address gender equality, with many women benefiting through development of alternative livelihoods in ecotourism and fishery biofertiliser production, as well as achieving better prices through trade.

Luz María and Josefa Ruiz, who sell fresh fish in Máncora, acquired greater experience commercialising their products through the project.

“We are gaining more experience, knowing more. We feel like family, because we already have a friendship, more trust. We are almost like sisters, because we support each other,” said Josefa.