Peru has pulled the plug on the second anchovy season of 2026 in its north-central zone — and the numbers behind the decision explain why officials felt they had no choice. A scientific survey found that nearly four out of every five anchovies in the water were juveniles that had not yet reproduced. Fishing them now, Peru’s Ministry of Production (PRODUCE) concluded, would risk the very stock that feeds the world’s fishmeal and fish oil industry.
The announcement, made on 16 October 2026, means there will be no second anchovy season in the north-central zone this year. It follows a first season that was suspended in June and formally closed in August after landing only about a quarter of its quota. For the global aquaculture industry, which depends on Peruvian anchovy for feed, the message is stark: the world’s largest single-species fishery is effectively on pause until the next season, expected in 2027.
The survey numbers that stopped the season
The decision rests on research cruise 2609-10, carried out by the Peruvian Sea Institute (IMARPE) across September and October 2026, with data collected through 7 October. The survey covered the coastline from Puerto Pizarro to Morro Sama and assessed anchovy, jumbo flying squid and other pelagic stocks. Its anchovy findings were blunt:
| Indicator | Survey finding | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic biomass | 5.12 million tonnes | 27.9% below the summer 2026 level |
| vs historical average | 22.8% below average | Below the 1996–2025 winter-spring survey average |
| Juveniles by number | 79% | Nearly 4 in 5 fish had not yet matured |
| Juveniles by weight | 65% | Almost two-thirds of the biomass was young fish |
| Reproductive activity | Below normal | Spawning episodes recorded, but below usual levels |
Put simply, most of the anchovy in the survey area was too young to catch sustainably. Removing juveniles before they spawn shrinks the next generation — and with biomass already more than a fifth below the long-term average, PRODUCE chose to withhold the quota entirely rather than authorise a reduced season.
“This decision is based on scientific evidence and our responsibility to protect the anchovy,” said Jesús Barrientos, vice minister of fisheries and aquaculture. “We cannot make decisions thinking only about the short term; we must also safeguard fishing opportunities for the coming years.”
A year of trouble: how 2026 unfolded
The cancelled second season did not come out of nowhere. The 2026 anchovy year in the north-central zone has been difficult from the start:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 April 2026 | First season opens under Ministerial Resolution No. 000085-2026-PRODUCE, with a maximum total allowable catch of 1,914,049 tonnes — already 36.2% below the 3 million tonnes authorised for the same season in 2025. |
| June 2026 | First season suspended to protect the stock, amid a high share of juveniles and warm-water conditions. |
| August 2026 | First season formally closed, with about 471,000 tonnes landed — roughly a quarter of the quota. |
| September–October 2026 | IMARPE cruise 2609-10 surveys the stock; data collected through 7 October. |
| 16 October 2026 | PRODUCE confirms no second season will be authorised in the north-central zone in 2026. |
The backdrop is unusually warm ocean conditions linked to El Niño. According to IMARPE, warm water has pushed anchovies closer to the coast, shifted them southward and driven them deeper — all of which make the stock harder to assess and harder to fish without sweeping up juveniles. Spawning episodes were recorded between Chimbote and Pisco, a sign the stock is still trying to reproduce, but overall reproductive activity remained below normal.
Why the world should care: fish oil, feed and food chains
Peruvian anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) is the world’s largest single-species fishery and, in an average year, supplies around 20% of the world’s fishmeal raw material. That makes a Peruvian closure a global event, not a local one.
The knock-on effects are already visible in the marine-ingredients market. According to the Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO), fish oil production across the countries covered by its member data was 26% below the same period in 2025 through August 2026, and industry forecasts suggest global fish oil production could fall to its lowest level in a decade. Aquaculture accounts for around 73% of fish oil use worldwide, so feed manufacturers are on the front line: one senior feed-industry executive recently told a seminar that availability, not price, is now the bigger concern.
There is also an ecological dimension. Anchovies sit near the base of the ocean food web, feeding seabirds, larger fish and marine mammals. Catching a stock that is 79% juveniles would not just cut next year’s catch — it would remove the prey base before it can reproduce. Peru’s decision is, in effect, a bet that a lost season now buys a healthier stock later.
What happens next
Three things are worth watching in the months ahead:
- Continued monitoring: PRODUCE says IMARPE will keep tracking biomass, length distribution, spatial distribution, reproductive activity and ocean conditions. No schedule for a further exploratory survey or a review date has been published yet.
- The 2027 season: Peru’s National Fisheries Society (SNP) has warned that industrial anchovy operations in the north-central zone could face a standstill of more than a year, until the first regular season projected for 2027. About 250,000 people in Peru depend directly or indirectly on the industry, from vessel crews to processing-plant workers, and the government is reportedly considering direct support for affected fishing families.
- The southern zone: The closure applies strictly to the north-central zone. Fishing in the southern zone operates under a separate regulatory framework and quota, so it is not covered by this decision.
For aquaculture producers and feed buyers, the practical lesson is diversification: alternative omega-3 and protein sources — from other fisheries to algal and insect-based ingredients — are moving from niche to necessity while the world’s biggest anchovy stock recovers.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Peru’s second anchovy season cancelled?
IMARPE’s survey found biomass of 5.12 million tonnes, down 27.9% from summer 2026, with juveniles making up 79% of fish by number. PRODUCE decided authorising a season would endanger the stock.
Does the closure cover all of Peru?
No. It applies to the north-central zone only. The southern zone has its own framework and quota.
When could fishing resume?
The SNP expects industrial operations in the north-central zone to remain halted until the first regular season projected for 2027, subject to fresh scientific assessment.
Why does a Peruvian closure matter globally?
Peruvian anchovy supplies roughly 20% of the world’s fishmeal raw material in an average year, and aquaculture uses about 73% of the world’s fish oil. A lost season tightens global feed supply.
Sources and further reading
- Ministry of Production (PRODUCE) decision and IMARPE survey 2609-10 findings, as reported by FIS World News, October 2026 — PRODUCE rules out second anchovy season in north-central zone
- NutraIngredients coverage of the cancellation and the El Niño context, 19–26 October 2026 — Peru cancels second anchovy fishing season
- First-season quota and landings, via SeafoodSource and IFFO reporting — Peruvian government eyes direct payments to El Niño-affected fishing families
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