Fish Migration Threatening Guano

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30892, 27 October 1965, Page 22

Fish Migration Threatening Guano

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter) LIMA. Peru’s once flourishing guano fertiliser industry is in serious difficulties because of the death in recent months of millions of seabirds along the Peruvian coast.

The National Fertiliser Corporation, which controls the exports of guano—a valuable source of income to Peru —said in a report that two million seabirds died in two months earlier this year and the toll was increasing all the time.

Most of the birds—pelicans, cormorants and others inhabiting the off-shore islands from where the natural fertiliser has been used since preInca times—have died of starvation because the anchoveta. their normal food supply, has migrated to a great distance from the coast or to great depths below the ocean surface. The vast schools of anchovies feed on the rich plankton in the cold Humboldt current which usually washes the Peruvian coast. However, this year, as happens periodically, the Humboldt current has apparently altered its course, to be replaced by the warm El Nino current flowing down from the Equator, giving Peru its mildest winter for over 30 years. It has meant disaster for the birds. It is estimated that the death represents a loss of 18,000 to 20,000 tons of guano or more than £300,000. A survey by biologists from the University of San Marcos

indicated that if the deaths of guano birds continued at the same rate, the whole species would be wiped out in a year, meaning a loss of about £1,250,000 a year. About 15 million guano birds are said to have died in the last 10 years, resulting in a 50 per cent drop in guano production.

Whereas in 1956 about 335,000 tons was produced for export and home consumption, the average production for the last three years, coinciding with an increase in the bird mortality rate, has not exceeded 180,000 tons.

The bird population along the Peruvian coast was estimated at 35 million ten years ago. Today it is about 20 million. There have, been similar episodes in the past but the Fertiliser Corporation is so worried about the disappearance of the anchoveta. not only for climatic reasons but possible because of overfishing as well, that it has

called for drastic measures to combat a situation which, it warns, could .have a serious effect on the country’s economy.

Guano, used as a fertiliser, has been a source of revenue for Peru since 1840 when the Government of the period discovered that the bird excrement accumulated over centuries on the off-shore islands was unusually rich in fertilising minerals and began to export it.

Guano accumulates at about six feet a century. The thickest beds on some of the islands are about 150 feet deep, indicating that deposits began 2,500 years ago. The fortunate discovery and exploitation of the guano, which was immediately proclaimed a state monopoly, helped to save a floundering economy and led to a boom. By 1862. the value of guano exports, mainly to Europe, was double the whole of the rest of the national production put together. By reckless exploitation of

reserves Peru exported an estimated 20,000,000 tons of guano, valued at £400,000,000, only to face agricultural disaster in the early 20th century. The guano industry’s present crisis occurs at a time when Peru is leading the world in fishing, thanks to the boom of the fabulous fishmeal industry whose raw material, somewhat ironically is again the anchoveta. Peru's fishmeal exports last year reached a record £55,000,000 to place her above Japan as the world’s top fishing nation. Some Peruvian experts believe that another reason for the prolonged disappearance of the anchovies could be overfishing in Peruvian coastal waters. This year, for the first time, the authorities have established a month’s closed season to protect the fish spawning. The experts want three.

But yet again it is the guano bird which suffers. In recent years, with the greatly expanded fishing fleet, the

birds have developed the habit of following the “bolicheras” (seiners) at sea. As the nets are drawn in their perimeter becomes a sort of self-serve lunch counter of leaping live anchovies trying to escape capture. The pelicans gorge themselves with relatively little effort, instead of flying endless miles over the ocean 1o find their own food. Lima itself has been literally invaded over the last few months by thousands of starving birds, looking for food in markets and gardens.

Elsewhere, on the roads leading to the Peruvian capital, are the bodies of scores of dead birds, victims of speeding traffic and weakness through hunger. Peruvians hope that a solution will be found to avoid the gradual disappearance of the birds and save the guano industry, although it appears that the guano must suffer at the expense of the expanding fishmeal industrv.