Promoting a Sustainable Coastal Management in Pisco, Peru

Pisco is a district in the department of Ica, located in the south of Peru. In this region, the economical activities are linked to the extraction of marine resources, especially fishing and fishmeal production. However, in the last few years, algae harvesting is becoming a popular activities. Algae are harvested, dried, milled, and sold by the locals, commonly known as Algueros. An increased demand of algae by multinational companies propitiated an indiscriminate harvesting and therefore a reduction of fish and algae stocks. For that reason, the Peruvian government declared a ban of algae harvesting in 2009.

In order to promote a sustainable coastal management in the area two scientists Jose Carlos Alvarez from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru (Pontifical Catholic University of Peru) and Dr. Kelly Vodden from Memorial University organized a workshop. This workshop: “Algae Extraction in Pisco, Peru: Challenges, Adaptation Opportunities, and Future Prospects” took place on June 6th, 2009. In this workshop, the Algueros identified a number of concerns and challenges that inhibit the success of their industry. These included contamination of coastal waters, competing uses of the coastal area (and the need for coastal management), overharvesting and depletion of both algae and fish stocks, lack of technical expertise in marketing, processing and algae culture as well as a need for improved processing facilities. This is an ongoing research that aims to develop projects that address these challenges and promote a sustainable coastal development in the Pisco region. The complete workshop’s report, written in Spanish, is being distributed to the appropriate Peruvian authorities.

Research Team

  • Kelly Vodden, Memorial University
  • Jose Carlos Alvarez from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru (Pontifical Catholic University of Peru)