A healthy, productive and resilient Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem

Chilean and Peruvian researchers met to define the 'Standardization of the anchovy biomass estimation protocol'

Anchovy is one of the most important resources worldwide and defines prices and trends for fishmeal and fish oil globally.

At IFOP Valparaíso, from August 5 to 9, professionals from the Peruvian Sea Institute (IMARPE) and the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP) held the workshop “Standardization of the protocol for estimating the biomass of anchovy south Peru – north Chile by hydroacoustic methods” inserted in the GEF/UNDP/SUBPESCA/PRODUCE project “Catalyzing the Implementation of a Strategic Action Program for the Sustainable Management of Shared Living Marine Resources" in the Humboldt Current System. GEF ID: #9592, known as the Humboldt II project.

The objective of the workshop was to agree on the standardized protocol that will serve as a guide for the estimation of biomass by hydroacoustic methods of the shared stock of anchovy south of Peru and north of Chile.

Jorge Castillo, researcher and focal point of the IFOP explained “this workshop is part of the objectives of the GTB of Direct Evaluations considered within the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (SCCT) of the Humboldt II project that seeks to make an estimate of the stock of anchovy shared in the southern Peru and northern Chile (SCA-SPNCH). The results of these measurements must be an input to the stock assessment models, so they are coordinated with the results of the other GTBs. Specifically, the workshop seeks to establish two standardized protocols.

• Collection of acoustic, biological and environmental data.
• Definition of the required parameters and biomass estimation methods.

To this end, the following factors were analyzed: cruise periods, acoustic equipment, echo sounder frequencies, data collection strategies, species recognition methods, and collection of biological data using fishing gear.

 In addition, the anchoveta abundance/biomass estimation methodologies applied in each country were analyzed and comparative analyzes were carried out. For this purpose, each country had and shared a data set in order to apply the corresponding methodologies.”

The expected result of the Workshop was to have a protocol for collecting the data required in estimating biomass, hopefully standardized and, if not possible, determining the conversion factors. A second expected result was to have a draft biomass estimation protocol, standardized or, failing that, with the necessary conversion factors to report the results and obtain the size of the shared stock. This draft protocol will be finalized during the course of this year.

Gonzalo Pereira Puchy, Executive Director of IFOP, said “for IFOP it is very gratifying to have hosted this workshop that is part of the activities of the Humboldt II project, which we execute jointly with the Institute of the Sea of ​​Peru, the workshop is part of one of the components of the project and has to do with one of the main fisheries in northern Chile and southern Peru, which is anchovy. For us it has additional importance, since this reactivates a long relationship of cooperation that IFOP and IMARPE have had in these 60 years of history”

Dr. Pedro Castillo Valderrama, General Director of hydroacoustic research, remote advice and fishing gear at IMARPE-Peru, referred to the workshop “I am very happy to meet friends and colleagues with whom we have worked several times. We are trying to standardize a methodology and apply them to common resources such as anchovy, which is of interest to our institutions, IMARPE and IFOP."

Dr. Daniel Grados Paredes, direct evaluation researcher, from IMARPE expressed “I am very happy to be part of the binational workshop to develop standardized methodologies to be able to evaluate anchovy, which is a shared resource. The workshop is quite fruitful, since we are achieving make agreements which will lead us to guarantee the sustainability of the resources shared between Peru and Chile, we are meeting colleagues in person with whom we are enriching by strengthening the ties between IMARPE and IFOP."

Source: IFOP

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