“Peruvian fishers sue for additional compensation after big December oil spill”, 02 April 2025
…Now, more than three months later, the fishers have returned to work on a sea dominated by the oil industry. They say the compensation they received from Petroperú for the weeks they couldn’t bring fish to their tables due to the oil pollution is insufficient and they are seeking more. For its part, the company says it has met its commitments…
While the fishers’ demands amounted to 9,000 soles ($2,470) for each of the more than 4,000 fishers in Talara for profits lost during the emergency, Petroperú only committed to provide each fisher with a purchase card of 200 soles ($55), as well as compensation to individuals for damage to their fishing gear. It also donated provisions to their community meals. To each of the 1,000-plus fishers in Lobitos district, where the coast was hit harder by the oil, Petroperú provided five purchase cards of 300 soles ($409 total). The Talara fishers considered the amounts to be insufficient and the discrepancy an insult.
On a Talara refinery web page dedicated to the spill, Petroperú says it has “granted compensation to fishermen whose boats, gear and work clothes were affected by the event,” and states that “regarding compensation for non-pecuniary damages, Petroperú reiterates that such claims must be managed through the corresponding legal channels.” It also states that it has “honored all the commitments set forth in the minutes signed on January 7, 2025, with the representatives of the union.”
Such is the current situation for the fishers. Álvarez told Mongabay in late March that guild members each contributed 20 soles ($5.50) toward filing a legal claim against the public oil company for additional compensation, but they “don’t see a solution”…
By February, the fishers had returned to work, ever vigilant for new spills. On Feb. 10, oil was detected again on the surface of the Talara Sea, provoking protests by fishers and their families in front of the refinery. The police fired tear gas on the crowd, including children. On Feb. 27, fishers again reported oil on the water surface by the refinery. Both episodes drew OEFA investigators to collect samples, but the agency hasn’t released results indicating their origin.
Three weeks after the December spill, OEFA fined Petroperú $50,000 for failing to correctly identify its origin. In total, the company has accumulated fines amounting to almost $100 million for environmental damage caused throughout the country…
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