After four years of collaboration among artisanal fishers, processors, government authorities and NGOs, the Peruvian Ministry of Production (PRODUCE) has published Supreme Decree No. 003-2025-PRODUCE for the regulation and management of the jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas) fishery.
The new decree, or ROP for its Spanish acronym, marks a significant milestone in the sustainability of this fishery, which, according to Peru’s Institute of Marine Science (IMARPE), has been fully exploited since 2021. Known as pota in Peru, JFS is in high demand in the global seafood market, with Peru, China and Chile accounting for the largest JFS catches. In the South Pacific, JFS is primarily harvested by artisanal fishers, alongside a growing distant-water fleet operating within Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Implementation of the ROP will improve monitoring and traceability, safeguard Peru’s jurisdictional waters from industrial expansion, and align fisheries management with international sustainability standards by incorporating ecosystem-based and precautionary approaches.
The regulation takes a strong stance against predatory fishing by granting exclusive fishing rights to the artisanal sector and designating the jigging line, an environmentally friendly fishing method, as the only fishing gear authorized to capture JFS. It also freezes the expansion of the squid fishing fleet, ensuring a more sustainable future for the industry.
Another key aspect of the new regulation is enhanced control and oversight of fishing activities. The ROP mandates the use of satellite tracking equipment through the Satellite Monitoring System (SISESAT), a crucial measure for improving traceability and enforcing sustainable practices. The decree also establishes the gradual implementation of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Traceability System (SITRAPESCA) for reporting fishing data, such as logbooks. This initiative strengthens traceability and enhances data collection throughout the supply chain, contributing to scientific knowledge and improving fishery management metrics.
“Replacing an outdated regulation that had been in force for over a decade is a significant achievement for Peru,” said Pedro Ferreiro Velasco, Fisheries Governance and Livelihoods Director at Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). “Jumbo flying squid fishing is the livelihood of thousands of Peruvian artisanal fishers, who have demonstrated that policy change is possible when actors with diverse interests come together to build and approve a proposal that benefits the entire JFS food system.” SFP has advised artisanal fishing organizations and the private sector throughout the collaborative process that culminated in the new ROP.
About Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Founded in 2006, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is a marine conservation organization working toward a world where the oceans are healthy, all seafood is produced sustainably, and everyone has access to sustainable seafood. We leverage the power of seafood buyers and retailers in every part of the seafood supply chain to rebuild depleted fish stocks, reduce the environmental impacts of fishing and fish farming, address social issues in fishing, and advance economic opportunities for fishers and their communities. Our Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs) allow seafood suppliers to work together in a pre-competitive environment to promote and support improvements in fishery and aquaculture practices, management, and policy. Visit us at www.sustainablefish.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
