Peru Halts Anchoveta Fishing: El Niño and Overfishing Devastate Global Supply

Peru has suspended all anchoveta fishing, a move that threatens global fishmeal and fish oil supplies. On 10 June 2026, the Peruvian government stopped all anchoveta fishing boats from going to sea. The initial suspension was temporary, but by mid-August, it became a total closure. This was a difficult decision, as the anchoveta industry is a major part of Peru's economy. Peru's anchoveta, scientifically known as *Engraulis ringens*, is not the type of anchovy eaten in salads or sauces. That is a different species, *Engraulis encrasicolus*, found mainly in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. More than 90% of Peru's anchoveta catch is not eaten directly. Instead, it is processed into fishmeal and fish oil, which are shipped worldwide to feed farmed fish, shellfish, and livestock, and to make nutritional supplements. Since 1970, Peru's anchoveta has made up about 10% of the entire global commercial fishing catch—more than any other fish. A combination of warming seas and decades of overfishing now spells disaster for this critical industry.