Humboldt (Northern) - key Species
Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens)
Peruvian anchovy is the ecologically and commercially most important species of the Peruvian upwelling ecosystem. Locally called anchoveta, it is a small pelagic (max. length=20cm), short living (~4y) and fast growing (k=1.0) fish. Anchovy reaches sexual maturity at 12 cm (1 year old) and can spawn over the entire year, but spawning mainly takes place from July to March with two peaks, the austral winter (August-September) and summer (February-March). Anchovy feeds more efficiently on large zooplankton. The species is caught by a large purse seine fleet and currently it is considered to be fully exploited.
Sardine (Sardinops sagax)
Sardine or South American pilchard can attain a maximum length of 40cm in 7 years (k=0.25). Sexual maturity occurs at 26 cm and although spawning occurs over the entire year, like anchovy there are two peaks spawning periods during the austral winter and summer. Sardine usually feed on large zooplankton and ichtyoplankton. Caught by the purse seine fleet, primarily for fish meal and secondly for canning purposes, sardine was considered the second most abundant species in the Peruvian upwelling ecosystem during the 1990s. The species is now considered to be depleted.
Jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi)
Jack mackerel reaches a maximum length of 65 cm in 16 years (k=0.16). Sexual maturity occurs at 31 cm and peak spawning occurs in October/November. Jack mackerel usually feed on macrozooplankton (e.g. euphausids, copepods and pteropods) and small fish. Caught by the purse seine fleet for canned production, jack mackerel has become the second most important pelagic fish commercially, in spite of sardine. Currently the species is considered to be overfished.
Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus peruanus)
Chub mackerel reaches a maximum length of 38 cm in 6 years (k=0.41). Sexual maturity occurs at 33 cm and peak spawning takes place in February/March. Chub mackerel usually feed on macrozooplankton and small fish. They are caught by the purse seine fleet for canned production.
Peruvian hake (Merluccius gayi peruanus)
Peruvian hake is commercially the most important demersal species. Locally called merluza, hake females are substantially larger than males. Maximum observed lengths of 74 cm for males and 86 cm for females are reached in about 13 years (k males=0.2 and k females=0.1). Length at first spawning is estimated at 35-36 cm for both sexes. Hake spawn all year round but two main peaks occur during the austral summer and winter. Hake is predatory, and in terms of weight, 98% of its diet consists of fish and 2% of crustaceans. The species is commercially exploited by the bottom-trawl fleet for direct human consumption (e.g. frozen), and is currently considered to be recovering.
Lumptail searobin (Prionotus stephanophrys)
Lumptail searobin (locally called falso volador) is the second most abundant demersal species off Peru. It is distributed to depths of 220-250 m. The fish reaches a maximum length of 28 cm in 5 years (k= 0.4). Size at spawning is calculated to be around 20.3 cm and spawning occurs during the austral spring and summer, with a peak in December-March. Euphausids, juvenile lobster, squillas and crabs are the main prey species of searobin. Searobin is caught by three fleets, mainly by trawlers but also by purse seiners and artisanals.
Dolphins and porpoises
Several species of dolphins are regular residents of the Peruvian upwelling ecosystem. The most common are the dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), longbeaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) although the killer whale, orca (Orcinus orca) is also present but less abundant (Marquez et al. 2001, Bello et al. 1998, Arias-Schreiber 1996). The Burmeisters porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis) is the only porpoise species in Peru (Arias-Schereiber, 1996). Since 1994, all cetacean species have been protected by law but before then some thousands individuals were commercially exploited mainly for human consumption (Majluf and Reyes, 1989). Most of the dolphins inhabit open ocean and coastal zones and forage on small pelagics, mainly anchovy. Thus, interactions with either artisanal (gillnets) or industrial (purse seines) fisheries are very frequent and currently is the main source of mortality related to human activities. Killer whales sighted off Peru are suggested to be part of dispersed predatory groups of oceanic populations, probably from the Eastern Tropical Pacific, Peruvian waters forming part of their foraging grounds. Between 1995 and 2003, hunting and harassing of sea lions, dolphins and pilot whales was recorded in three of twenty sightings (Garcia-Godos, 2003).
Large whales
Peru is part of the migratory routes of most of the large whales of the southern hemisphere. The most commonly sighted are the Mysticeti blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) and humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and the Odontoceti Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) (Arias-Schereiber, 1996). Blue whales are regularly observed in northern Peru (>9°S) up to 200 nautical miles offshore and humpback whales transiting to the Antarctic (their feeding ground) are sighted just before the summer (Majluf and Reyes, 1989). Two main areas of concentration of sperm whales have been identified; northern Peru during summer and autumn and southern Peru during winter and spring (García-Godos, 2003). Before international prohibition of whaling in 1966, fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), Brydes whales (Balaenoptera edeni) and sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) were regularly caught off Peru (Majluf and Reyes, 1989).
Sea turtles
Five of the seven species of sea turtles in the world are observed in the cold waters of the Peruvian upwelling ecosystem. They are the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the loggerhead (Caretta caretta). Highly productive Peruvian waters are a favourable feeding ground of juvenile turtles in particular and where jellyfish and seaweed constitute their main food. Once mature (about fourteen years old), turtles return to the warm beaches they were haul out to lay eggs (N. De Paz, personal communication). Since 2004 all sea turtles species have been protected by Peruvian law.