Fuel Rises, Fishing Suffocates
PERU Sunday, May 03, 2026, 00:00 (GMT + 9)
Peruvian artisanal fishing currently faces a pressure that seriously compromises its economic viability: the sharp increase in the price of diesel, an essential input for operation. Added to this is an internal structural problem that further aggravates the situation: the tax burden on fuels, particularly the Selective Consumption Tax (ISC), which for years has been applied to the diesel used by fishing vessels. The impact is completely tangible. In areas such as Paita, a gallon of diesel, which previously cost around 14 soles, has reached nearly 23.50 soles. This jump represents an increase that completely alters the cost balance of an activity where fuel can account for between 30% and 50% of the total operating expense. Artisanal fishing, like any other economic activity, depends on profitability in the cost-benefit ratio. Today, more is spent than is earned. The prob... FULL STORY
