The artisan fishworkers of Peru have organized in FIUPAP, the Federation of Integration and Unity of Artisan Fish workers or Peru. The first national Congress was held in Caleta Chorrillos, Lima, from June 24 to 29, 1991, with 70 delegates from 25 local organizations throughout the country. Work was organized in 7 Commissions for the study of the main problems affecting fish-workers: marine resources, infrastructure, finance, fishing legislation, commercialization, social security and illness, specially cholera. In 1992, FIUPAP organized 2 National Assemblies, extending its network to nearly all of Pew’s small ports and artisan fishing communities, including those of Lake Titicaca and the Amazon region.
The artisan fishworkers of Pew were associated with the federations of industrial fishworkers, who are integrated into the fishing industry, one of the largest in the world in terms of tonnage taken for fish meal production. Those federations are the FPP, Federation of Peruvian Fishworkers, and, subsequently, the FETCHAP, Federation of Crews for Fishing for Human Consumption. With the creation of their own organization, Peruvians may be more autonomous in their decisions and the acquisition of services, specially credit, consultations and social security, without being subject to political or governmental conditioning factors.
Hernan, member of ICSF, is one of their advisors and has helped with the legal and social configuration and development of the organization. Peruvian fisheries are passing through a severe crisis at this time, which affects all fishworkers. The Fujimori Government, which is strongly authoritarian, is privatizing the fishing industry and foreign enterprises are gaining control of the companies. However, the Government is lending strong support to artisan fishworkers by way of boats, port improvements, means of commercialization and technical advice. For this reason, Peruvian fishworkers will have to strengthen their organization in order to maintain their autonomy and the defense of their rights.
