Mario Fiestas, promoter of the formalization of fishing cooperatives

José Mario Fiestas Flores learned to fish at the age of 12, but his history with the sea goes back many generations. Born in San José, a fishing bay in Lambayeque, the 55-year-old noticed as a child how sacrificial small-scale fishing could be. These memories motivated him to promote the formalization of vessels through the San José Fishing Cooperative. At present, he maintains an alliance with “Por la Pesca”, a project that seeks to formalize the fishermen and, in this way, generate greater benefits for their communities.

Mario says that although he had a degree in economics, he preferred to dedicate himself to the family business of fishing for squid (Ommastrephidae) and dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus). After several years in the artisanal sector, in 2010 he managed to buy a boat with his brothers and discovered that they did not have what was needed to work “in order”, so they could have problems with government control. Years later, in 2016, the idea of creating a fishing cooperative was born to facilitate the formalization process for their colleagues, and in 2018 the idea materialized with the participation of 100 vessels.

Mario Fiestas, who was president, lived through complicated times due to delays in obtaining permits, to the point that many members withdrew. Another problem was the pandemic, the death of several of his colleagues and the difficulty of selling his products. Those were dark days, but in the midst of all these problems, together with their colleagues in the San José cooperative, they realized the importance of formalization in terms of government support. Today, the cooperative is a leader in formal fishing, representing nearly 200 vessels in Lambayeque.

Cooperativa Pesquera San José provides more than 1,600 jobs and exports reach US$503 million (pota) and US$86 million (perico). Thanks to the work they have developed with “Por la Pesca”, 80 percent of the vessels have the registration certificate for final formalization, as well as the traceability system, which makes it possible to identify fishing areas in real time, promoting responsible and sustainable fishing. In addition, there is an agreement with the company Océano Seafood to market products without intermediaries.

Through “Por la Pesca”, a project implemented by the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), USAID, the Walton Family Foundation and other partners, Mr. Mario became the only representative of artisanal fisheries to participate in a meeting with 21 delegations from APEC member economies, held in December 2023. Fiestas is also one of the founders of the guild that brings together the most important organizations of the fishermen of Piura and Lambayeque: the National Society of Artisanal Fisheries (Sonapescal).