Chile's fish catches plunge 41% in first five months of 2026

Chile’s fisheries recorded a 41% drop in total catches from January to May 2026, falling to 817,000 tonnes compared with 1.4 million tonnes in the same period of 2025 – the lowest level in a decade. The decline affected both industrial and artisanal sectors and was driven by sharp reductions in key pelagic species: jurel (-45%), common sardine (-38%) and anchoveta (-31%).

Combined landings of fisheries and aquaculture reached 1.7 million tonnes in the first five months, 24% less than a year earlier. Aquaculture partially offset the slump, delivering 669,000 tonnes, up 6% year‑on‑year, with fish harvests rising 13% despite a slight dip in mollusk production. The Subsecretaría de Pesca y Acuicultura linked the downturn to adverse oceanographic conditions, including surface temperature anomalies and altered coastal upwelling, and noted the influence of El Niño‑type events on marine ecosystems.