Exploratory sardine fishing authorized up to five miles from the coast

The Ministry of Production authorized the Institute of the Sea of Peru (IMARPE) to carry out exploratory fishing of the sardine resource (Sardinops sagax) in the strip from 0.5 to 5 nautical miles off the Peruvian coast, through Ministerial Resolution No. 00399-2026-PRODUCE, published on Sunday, November 8, 2026, in the Legal Norms section of the official newspaper El Peruano. The regulation was signed in Lima on November 7, 2026, by the Minister of Production, Juan Carlos Requejo Aleman, and establishes a maximum duration of fifteen calendar days with vessels of up to 10 m3 hold capacity.

The stated objective is to determine the spatial distribution, size structure, and reproductive status of the sardine. The activity stems from Official Letter No. 2098-2026-IMARPE/PE, through which IMARPE submitted the “Exploratory research fishing plan for the sardine resource (Sardinops sagax) in the context of El Niño 2026–2027,” a proposal adopted by the General Directorate of Policies and Regulatory Analysis in Fisheries and Aquaculture through Report No. 00000843-2026-PRODUCE/DGPARPA. The General Office of Legal Advice declared the issuance of the resolution viable in Report No. 00001492-2026-PRODUCE/OGAJ.

Validity and scope of the authorization

The exploratory fishing begins at 00:00 hours on the day following the publication of the list of authorized vessels and extends for a period of up to fifteen calendar days. The Ministry of Production may modify this period through a new ministerial resolution, following a report from IMARPE, and the General Directorate of Supervision, Inspection, and Sanction (DGSFS-PA) may suspend or conclude the extractive activities based on scientific recommendation.

The regulation specifies that participation in the research activity does not grant, recognize, or expand administrative rights for the extraction of sardines, and that the fishing permits of the holders remain unchanged.

Requirements to access the vessel list

Only fishing vessels with a hold capacity of up to 10 m3 that appear on the list to be published by the General Directorate of Artisanal Fisheries (DGPA) on the ministry’s digital portal may participate. Holders must comply, among others, with these conditions:

• Have a valid fishing permit and sanitary authorization.
• Request registration on the list, individually or through their artisanal fishers’ social organization, within 72 hours following the entry into force of the regulation.
• Carry out departures within the period of validity and landings up to 72 hours after its conclusion.
• Unload only at the landing points authorized by the Ministry of Production.
• Use sardine nets with a mesh size of 38 mm (1 ½ inch) and an ice preservation system in a 2:1 ratio.
• Inform the ministry of the time, place, and date of departure, as well as the ice supply, before each operation.

Logbook, samples, and sanctions

Shipowners must submit the “Exploratory Fishing Logbook for the Sardine Resource (Sardinops sagax)” at the time of landing and facilitate the boarding of scientific observers from IMARPE, in addition to providing a minimum of 30 whole, non-eviscerated specimens at the landing points. Vessels without an operational Satellite Tracking System (SISESAT) must carry the seal authorized by the DGSFS-PA to certify traceability.

Those who fail to comply with the conditions will be excluded from the research activity, without prejudice to the administrative sanctioning procedure in accordance with Decree Law No. 25977, General Fishing Law, its Regulations approved by Supreme Decree No. 012-2001-PE, and Supreme Decree No. 017-2017-PRODUCE. IMARPE must submit its final report within a maximum period of seven calendar days after the close of the activity.

Background and complementary regulation

The resolution recalls that Ministerial Resolution No. 781-97-PE declared anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) and sardine as fully exploited hydrobiological resources. Additionally, Article 8 modifies the Annex of Ministerial Resolution No. 00386-2026-PRODUCE, which establishes the reproductive closure for bonito on the Peruvian coast between November 1 and November 30, 2026.

The measure directly affects small-scale artisanal fishing, which operates precisely in the coastal strip where sardines are concentrated, and arrives as the country prepares for a new El Niño episode. The results of the cruise will determine whether the State enables or restricts access to a fishery declared fully exploited nearly three decades ago.

Source: El Peruano, Legal Norms, Sunday, November 8, 2026, p. 30 (official reference: R.M. No. 00399-2026-PRODUCE).