Peru&rsquo s anchovy catches slow as players feel meeting quota is &lsquo impossible&rsquo

Even though El Nino is expected to conclude in late July or August, the event has already hit Peruvian fishmeal players, which see  meeting the first anchovy&rsquo s season quota as a near impossibility.

El Nino off the Peruvian coast has lost strength and, throughout July, sea surface temperatures are expected to drop to normal values, leading to a weakening of the event that could conclude in late July or August, said ENFEN, the Peruvian institution researching the weather phenomenon.

However, abnormal sea temperatures in Peru since May have already affected anchovy stocks.  Fish  moved to the south part of the country, near the shore, where catches are not allowed for the industrial fleet. Also, mini-bans due to high juvenile levels have hit catches&rsquo volumes.

Closed ports due to a recent heavy swell off the coast have also forced anchovy vessels to stop operations for around four days.

All these factors have affected catches volumes, having reached just 55% of the total quota of  2.53 million metric tons  with only 23 days left to the end of the first anchovy season.

http://www.undercurrentnews.com/2014/07/09/perus-anchovy-catches-slow-as-players-feel-meeting-quota-is-impossible/