Peru Neighbours Some of the World’s Most Diverse Ocean; Where do They Stand Regarding Marine Protection?

Peru doesn’t often come to mind when we think about the marine wonders of the world and underwater wildlife hotspots, yet this South American country actually lies next to one of the most rich and productive areas of ocean on Earth. In this patch of the Pacific Ocean, warm tropical waters from the north swirl together with the cool, nutrient rich water which funnels into the area from the Humboldt Current. This mix of warm and cool water as well as a bounty of food leads to a high number of marine species filling the local waters. Deep water sharks, Humboldt penguins, fur seals and bright schools of fish glide above ancient cold water corals whilst whales too arrive from around the world as they pass through Peruvian waters on their annual migrations. Hidden under the waves is just one more natural wonder however, a giant chain of underwater mountains which rival the Andes rising steeply out of Peruvian soil. Just as mountains do on land, this underwater ridgeline acts as a navigational guide for wildlife, drawing sea lions, elephant seals and emperor penguins towards the sandy beaches of Peru’s coastline.

It seems Peru has been blessed both above and below the waves and many of its terrestrial wonders, such as The Sacred Valley of the Incas, Lake Titicaca and areas of the Amazon, are protected by outstanding conservation measures. Sadly however, it seems the same is not true for local marine environments which are at threat from overfishing, oil extraction and pollution.

With the Humboldt Current providing so many nutrients, the waters lying west of Peru are globally regarded as some of the best fishing grounds in the world. For decades, giant squid, tuna, swordfish and mahi mahi have been caught in the area and shockingly, since the 1950s, 10% of all global marine fish captures have come from Peruvian waters. In fact, the area is home to one of the biggest anchoveta stocks, a small fish which is used to supply fish oil and fishmeal for livestock and aquaculture. Yet the fishing boom of the past decades has come at a price. Fish stocks are steadily falling, something made worse by the natural phenomenon El Nino. In years when El Nino occurs, the waters around Peru increase in temperature whilst nutrient levels plummet, leaving fish stocks at a naturally low level. Large fishing fleets have also destroyed many other parts of the underwater environment throughout the last century as heavy trawling nets were dragged across the seafloor and unsuspecting marine mammals caught up in the tangle of rope too. Whilst trawling has been banned in some areas and quotas introduced, an unsustainable catch is still being taken from Peru’s waters, affecting not only the fish but the other creatures which eat them too. No longer are seals, sharks and penguins competing for fish with each other but they are competing with pigs on far away farms and salmon in man-made pools as fish are shipped across the globe.

Many conservation groups and individuals are pushing for the creation of the Nazca Ridge Marine Protected Area, a proposed protected patch of ocean which would cover 63,000 square kilometres, or a mighty 7.3% of Peru’s ocean. In regards to fishing, this protected zone would prohibit fishing within its borders yet the reserve will act as a safe space for fish to breed and grow, helping population numbers recover. In other reserves around the world, this has often led to a spill over effect with larger stocks of fish being available on the outer edges of the protected area, still benefitting local fishermen in the long term. With the designation of a protected area, satellite monitoring hopes to follow close behind which will allow real time monitoring of vessels in the surrounding area, helping to ensure fishing regulations are adhered to. Sea Shepherd has even offered to provide aid to the Peruvian government to help protect this unique marine ecosystem, with their legal team in place to help uphold existing laws whilst creating new pieces of legislation which have the ocean at their heart.

Neighbouring Chile has already taken action to protect its ocean and underwater ridge line by creating a marine reserve the size of Italy. They too had a problem with overfishing and in the hope of resolving this issue, they have ensured closely regulated fishing is only allowed on the outskirts of the marine reserve. A lobster fishery operating nearby the protected area has also been assessed and certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council as the Chilean government seriously start to reverse the depletion in their precious marine resources.

It seems a large chunk of Peruvian citizens are behind the plans for a local marine protected area too. With fishing rules being rather relaxed for so long, huge catches meant the price of fish was very low, with many small fishing vessels struggling to turn a profit. By promoting conservation instead, fishermen are now using their boats to take tourists out into the clear waters to spot giant manta rays. In the past, these enormous creatures would have been caught and sold on to Asia for use in traditional medicine but instead today, many just gasp in awe at their nine metre wingspan as they gracefully glide past. It seems many local people are realising that tourism can be more valuable than fishing and as a result, the manta ray has become a local icon not only for marine conservation but for hope. Local organisations managed to secure legal protection for these creatures in 2015, making it illegal to catch or eat manta rays in Peru whilst school children take part in manta parades, celebrating both the beauty of nature and the power of individual action.

Much work is also taking place in the country regarding plastic pollution, a large issue in South America where generally very little is recycled. The Peruvian government have already gone one step further than many developed nations by banning single use plastic products from vulnerable environments such as beaches and protected areas in a bid to halt the flood of problems plastic brings. Local initiatives are sprouting up around the country too, with their impact being felt not just on the coastline but far up into the mountains. Ponchilas are the local name for rucksacks with built in ponchos, a design aimed at the thousands of school children who have to walk several kilometres to school each day in rapidly changing weather. Each one of these backpacks is made from 80 recycled plastic bottles, helping not only to keep floating trash from our oceans but also to keep children and their books dry, giving pupils in these remote locations one less reason to drop out of school.

Peru’s northern waters are threatened by yet another risk however. The establishment of the Grau Tropical Marine Reserve hangs in the balance as companies in the oil and gas sector oppose its designation due to the resources lying under the seabed. Currently 1,200 oil wells are operating in this part of the ocean, with the proposed protected area influencing only five. If a new reserve was created, the oil companies would be allowed to continue to drill but at an increased cost as new environmental standards would have to be met. To date, many oil spills have occurred in the area but the quantities of oil in each spill is not recorded. If this area of ocean was protected, oil spills would be monitored in much greater detail, allowing us to really understand the pressure we are putting on marine systems and whether this pressure should be considered acceptable. In this case, it really is a debate between short term energy resources and long term protection for biodiversity.

It seems that the Peruvian government still has many decisions to make despite progress having been made in protecting their waters. Will they let the energy sector stand in the way of the Grau Tropical Marine Reserve? Will the Nazca Ridge Marine Protected Area finally be designated? Will stricter fishing regulations come into play? Conservationists are adding more questions to the already complex debate too; should large areas of currently pristine open ocean be protected over nearshore waters which are already damaged and more at risk of pollution and overfishing? It seems we have not yet found the answers but as Peru, a country filled with abundant natural and cultural wonders, develops, it will be interesting to see how their environmental protection develops alongside it.

By Neve McCracken-Heywood