Pesquera Diamante owns at least 50 vessels associated with fishing for the raw ingredients that go into producing fishmeal, according to the Friend of the Sea vessel database from December 2024. Information about vessels can also be found on Peru’s Ministry of Production’s online vessel consultation service.1 Pesquera Diamante also has at least four fishmeal plants: Callao, Malabrigo, Supe, and Mollendo.2
Puerto Malabrigo:
Planta Mollendo:
Planta Paita:
Planta Samanco:
Four fishmeal plants operated by Pesquera Diamante were certified under the MarinTrust Global Standard for Responsible Supply between 2019 and 2026.3 This program requires plants holding the certification to source fish that have been legally caught.4 Pesquera Diamante was also certified by Friend of the Sea between 2014 and 2027.5 This program requires fishing vessels to respect local and national fishing regulations.6 These certifications seem in tension with the behavior of ships and plants that are part of Pesquera Diamante’s supply chain. At least 17 ships owned or otherwise tied to Pesquera Diamante reportedly engaged in a range of fishing infractions between 2018 and 2024, according to an investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project. Pesquera Diamante’s fleet of ships were involved in at least 17 cases of illegal fishing including invading marine protected areas and exceeding catch limits. Additionally, Pesquera Diamante was the target of two cases of civil unrest, including a labor strike in 2023 and protests in 2024.
Between January 2020 and March 2025, over a dozen vessels owned by Pesquera Diamante fished in marine protected areas, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas and a review of court records and other public documents.7 Each incursion lasted at least five hours and they happened more than 46 times. The protected areas targeted included Nazca Ridge National Reserve, Islas Lobos de Afuera, and Punta Atico. Fishing in Peru’s marine protected areas is generally illegal for industrial vessels and only allowed for small‑scale fishers under strict, area‑specific permits.8
Examples of issues with the company’s ships include:
The Fabiola: an explosion aboard this ship happened in May 2022 according to a Facebook post by Radar Pesquero. No injuries were reported.9 The Fabiola was also cited on June 6, 2020 for illegally fishing in the Paracas Marine Protected Area and for going too slowly inside a restricted area, a leading indicator of illegal fishing. The final resolution of the Ministry of Production dated May 29, 2024 sanctioned the company with a fine and an order for confiscation of the illegal catch which was unfulfilled due to logistical limitations, but the payment of the commercial value of the illegal catch in lieu of seizure was authorized.10
The Patricia: This ship has incurred multiple sanctions dating back at least to 2016 including two instances in August 2016 of sanctions for the extraction of juvenile mackerel catch at a level exceeding the amount allowed by established standards of the Ministry of Production. In both cases the company was fined and a portion of the illegal catch was confiscated.11 The Patricia was also cited on November 15, 2020 for illegally fishing in the Paracas Marine Protected Area and for going too slowly inside a restricted area, a leading indicator of illegal fishing. These activities resulted in a fine and confiscation of the anchovy catch according to a final resolution dated May 29, 2024.12 Additionally, between January 2020 and March 2025, this ship spent five or more hours fishing in Peru in a marine protected area, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas. The areas targeted included Nazca Ridge National Reserve.13 The Patricia was most recently cited on March 3, 2021, for extracting horse mackerel in an unauthorized period as well as exceeding the assigned quota that corresponds to the period according to the current fishing regulations. In the final resolution of the Ministry of Production dated July 5, 2024, the company was fined and the confiscation of the illegal catch upheld.14
The Natalia: This ship was recorded on three occasions in 2020 fishing illegally in the Paracas Marine Protected Area and for going too slowly inside a restricted area, a leading indicator of illegal fishing. The final resolutions by the Ministry of Production for all three occurrences were dated May 29, 2024 and confirmed the sanctioning of the company with a fine and documented that the confiscation of the illegal catch would have occurred if logistically feasible, but could not be retroactively applied.15
The Sebastian: This ship was found on August 19, 2016 to have exceeded the allowable amount of the extraction of juvenile mackerel catch as established by the standards of the Ministry of Production. In the final resolution of the case by the Ministry of Production dated May 16, 2019, the company was fined, but due to logistical challenges the confiscation of the catch was unenforceable.16 In a more recent case on March 2, 2021, the Sebastian, a vessel owned by Pesquera Diamante, was found to have extracted mackerel and horse mackerel after the conclusion of the fishing season. Confiscation of the illegal catch took place in situ on March 5, 2021. Subsequently, the company was also fined in the final resolution of the Ministry of Production dated August 2, 2024.17
The Don Juan: This ship was recorded illegally fishing on two occasions in May and November of 2020 in the Paracas Marine Protected Area and for going too slowly inside a restricted area, a leading indicator of illegal fishing. The final resolutions by the Ministry of Production for both occurrences were dated May 29, 2024 and confirmed the sanctioning of the company with a fine and affirmed that confiscation of the illegal catch would have occurred if logistically feasible, but could not be retroactively applied.18 Between January 2020 and March 2025, this ship spent five or more hours fishing in Peru in a marine protected area, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas. Such incursions happened at least 18 times. The areas targeted included Nazca Ridge National Reserve, Paracas, and Punta Atico.19
The Constanza: During an audit at the Pisco plant location in July 2016, inspectors sampling the anchovy catch revealed that the vessel extracted quantities of juvenile mackerel exceeding the percentage established for the capture of associated or dependent species. In a final resolution dated April 2019, the company was fined and an order for confiscation was recorded, though it could not be carried out due to logistical limitations.20
The Corina: On July 7, 2015, the Ministry of Production verified that this ship had extracted a higher level of immature, smaller anchovy than was allowed and a fine was imposed. The infraction was documented in an April 2019 report.21
The Daniella: On September 11, 2022, findings from three reports of the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic of Peru, revealed that multiple inspectors employed by the General Directorate of Harbor Masters, who are part of the Peruvian Navy, falsely signed verifications of inspection of 18 fishing vessels, including the Daniella owned by Pesquera Diamante. The inspectors also recommended that the ship’s certifications for the prevention of pollution by sewage and hydrocarbons be renewed. All of this was reported by Ojo Público. To receive these certifications, a ship must be physically inspected, but the investigation found that the ships in question were either at sea or not in the same port as the inspectors.22 Between January 2020 and March 2025, this ship spent five or more hours fishing in Peru in a marine protected area, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas. Such incursions happened at least six times. The areas targeted included Punta Atico.
The Stefano: A legal report from the Ministry of Production dated September 9, 2019 references a sanctioning of this vessel for the extraction of juvenile mackerel catch at a level exceeding the amount allowed by established standards of the Ministry of Production in an incident that occurred on August 25, 2016. Pesquera Diamante was subject to a fine and confiscation of the illegal catch.23
The Polar VII: This ship was sanctioned on February 7, 2016 for overfishing juvenile catch according to Peru Ministry of Production standards, as indicated by a September 17, 2019 report. Pesquera Diamante was fined for the infraction.24 On July 2, 2016, the ship was sanctioned for overfishing juvenile mackerel and fishing with a license that did not include mackerel per an October 15, 2020 report from the Ministry of Production. Again, the company was fined.25 The Polar VII was also sanctioned on June 6, 2020 by the Ministry of Production for illegally fishing in the Paracas Marine Protected Area and for going too slowly inside a restricted area, a leading indicator of illegal fishing. The incident was documented in a legal report from May 29, 2024, which also stated that the sanction of confiscation of catch was unenforceable in this case, but the company was required to pay the commercial value of the anchovy resource taken from the aforementioned area.26
The Polar VI: This ship was cited on two occasions in June of 2016 for the extraction of juvenile anchovy catch at a level exceeding the amount allowed by established standards of the Ministry of Production. The final resolution by the Ministry of Production dated May 16, 2019 sanctioned the company with a fine as well as confiscation of the excess illegal anchovy catch.27 On the second occasion, sampling revealed that the vessel also extracted quantities of juvenile mackerel exceeding the percentage established for the capture of associated or dependent species. The Polar VI was not licensed to fish for mackerel or to use that resource for fishmeal production. The final resolution by the Ministry of Production dated November 25, 2019 sanctioned the company with a fine, as well as partial confiscation of the excess illegal catch.28
The Polar III: This ship was sanctioned by the Ministry of Production on June 6, 2020 for illegally fishing in the Paracas Marine Protected Area and for going too slowly inside a restricted area. Pesquera Diamante was required to pay a fine.29
The Paula: This vessel was sanctioned on November 25, 2017 for the extraction of juvenile mackerel catch at a level exceeding the amount allowed by established standards of the Ministry of Production, according to a 2019 report authored by the Ministry of Production. Pesquera Diamante was obligated to pay a fine, but the fine was discounted due to “recognition of responsibility.”30
The Maria Jose: This ship was cited on September 30, 2016 for the extraction of juvenile mackerel catch at a level exceeding the amount allowed by established standards of the Ministry of Production. The final resolution dated September 4, 2019 sanctioned the company with a fine and the confiscation and subsequent donation of the illegal catch to an area town.31 In a separate incident recorded on November 15, 2020, the company faced sanctions for illegally fishing in the Paracas Marine Protected Area and for going too slowly inside a restricted area. The company was fined and an order for confiscation of the illegal catch was recorded, but the order was unenforceable due to logistical limitations.32 Further, between January 2020 and March 2025, this ship spent five or more hours fishing in Peru in a marine protected area, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas. The areas targeted included Nazca Ridge National Reserve.33
The Daniela: This vessel, owned by Pesquera Diamante, was cited in August 2016 for the extraction of juvenile mackerel catch at a level exceeding the amount allowed by established standards of the Ministry of Production. The final resolution dated May 16, 2019 sanctioned the company with a fine.34
The Alexandra: This vessel was penalized on April 27, 2021 for carrying an excessively large anchovy shipment, which exceeded the hold capacity allowed by their fishing permit.35 Pesquera Diamante was required to pay a fine for this violation, as explained in an August 5, 2024 Ministry of Production report.36
The Polar IV, now the Francesca: On October 25, 2024, Pesquera Diamante was granted a name change for this vessel from the Polar IV to the Francesca.37
The Polar XII, Michela, Giannina, and Alexandra: In August 2024, Ojo Público published an article on fishing companies fined by the Peruvian government for routinely failing to accurately report the true percentage of juvenile anchovies in each catch, which was the only legal requirement they had faced regarding catching juvenile anchovies. Of the 12 companies fined for declaring incorrect information in their sampling of juvenile fish on board, Pesquera Diamante was among the worst offenders – the company accrued five fines for incidents dating back to 2019. Four of its vessels were found to have violated the regulation: the Polar XII, the Michela, the Giannina, and the Alexandra.38
Milagro De Mi Madre: On April 10, 2023, the Milagro De Mi Madre was sanctioned for unloading more anchovies than the discharge limit allows on November 20, 2021. At the time, the plant it delivered its catch to was owned by Pesquera Diamante.39
The Francesca: Between January 2020 and March 2025, this ship spent five or more hours fishing in Peru in a marine protected area, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas. Such incursions happened at least six times. The areas targeted included Punta Atico.
The Olga: Between January 2020 and March 2025, this ship spent five or more hours fishing in Peru in a marine protected area, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas. Such incursions happened at least 10 times. The areas targeted included Islas Lobos de Afuera.
The Yago I: Between January 2020 and March 2025, this ship spent five or more hours fishing in Peru in a marine protected area, according to satellite data analyzed by OceanMind and ProtectedSeas. The areas targeted included Nazca Ridge National Reserve.40
In August 2024, Patricia Morales Franco, director of sanctions of the Peruvian Vice Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, dismissed administrative processes related to false reporting of juvenile anchovy captures against eight companies. One of the companies was Pesquera Diamante. The other seven companies included: Inversiones Pesqueras Liguria, Tecnológica de Alimentos, Pesquera Haydu, CFG Investment, Pesquera Saby, Pesquera Luciana, and Inversiones Moreda. These companies had underreported their catches of juvenile fish, which is a serious violation under Peru's General Fisheries Law.41
Planta Malabrigo: In November 2024, fishmeal plant and ship workers, some of whom worked for Pesquera Diamante, gathered in Puerto Malabrigo and Sechura for protests demanding fair pricing for their anchovy catch.42 Diamante refused to meet, the protesters said. Copeinca met with the fishers but excluded Omar Jacinto Fiestas, a protest leader from Sechura, Peru, whose technical report challenged the low prices set by the companies. The fishers rejected Copeinca’s terms and vowed to persist in their demands for dialogue and equitable treatment, emphasizing the vital role of fishers in the production chain. Protest leaders called on the Ministry of Production to mediate and foster negotiations with the processing plants.43
On October 30, 2023, “more than 1,000 fishermen,” went on strike to demand that the Ministry of Produce “[reduce] the anchovy size that Imarpe considers a juvenile below 12 centimeters for the ongoing anchovy season,” Undercurrent News reported. Pesquera Diamante was among the affected plants, and halted its operations on October 30 due to the strike.44
Pesquera Diamante did not respond to a request for comment.45