Despite the export volume dropping 10.4 percent on 2007 to 910,477 tons, the fisheries industry generated greater value in 2008, SONAPESCA said.
The sector overcame an adverse scenario of a large drop in the U.S. dollar exchange rate, sharp fuel and power hikes, and an alarming shortage of fish caused by weather and growing fishing operations of unregulated deep-sea foreign fleets.
The extractive fisheries sector accounted for 7.64 percent of the country's total industrial exports.
Fishmeal, fish oil
The unusual landings of jack mackerel in the first four months of 2008 led to a 7 percent drop in fishmeal exports in 2007, or $501.2
