Peru has reached a major milestone in sustainable seafood: its eel fishery has become the first in the country to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, the world’s most rigorous standard for sustainable fishing.
Since 2021, the fishery has made improvements resulting in stronger scientific understanding of eel stocks, enhanced monitoring systems, and more effective management measures.
In 2023, the fishery entered the MSC Improvement Program, which provides fisheries with practical tools and a structured pathway towards certification. Through this program, the fishery was able to strengthen its action plan, prioritize improvements, and make measurable progress towards meeting the MSC standard.
Key developments include the implementation of an onboard observer program and stricter fisheries regulations such as minimum catch sizes and gear restrictions. Management measures were also introduced to protect areas with high levels of young eels and those where eels reproduce. This includes rotating ‘resting’ zones, and permanent closures of critical habitats such as mangroves.
The fishery has also introduced a robust traceability system, ensuring transparency across the supply chain through digital reporting of catch and landings.
Fishing operators and seafood processors Perupez and Sakana worked closely with scientists, the Peru Marine Research Institute (IMARPE) and the Ministry of Production (PRODUCE). A new Loan Guarantee Facility led and created by the MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund and Clarmondial unlocked additional funding with Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP), in support of the commercial financing for Perupez, which helped finance critical improvements such as the observer program and data systems.
Cristian Vallejos, MSC’s Program Director for Latin America said: “This is an historic moment for Peru. The certification of this fishery demonstrates that with solid science, collaborative work, and genuine commitment, it is possible to transform the way we use our marine resources.
“This achievement not only benefits the ocean, but also the communities that depend on fishing, opening new opportunities in markets that increasingly value sustainability.”
With this certification, the Peruvian fishery joins a growing global network of certified fisheries, reinforcing the country’s role in advancing sustainable seafood production.