What happened
On 16 October 2026 Peru’s Ministry of Production officially cancelled the second anchovy fishing season of the year because of unfavourable ocean conditions. The first season in the main north-central zone had already closed after catching only a little over 20% of its quota. According to the marine ingredients organisation IFFO, fish oil production in Peru and Chile fell 30% and fishmeal 49% in January to July 2026 compared with a year earlier.
Peruvian anchovy is the largest single source of the oil used in omega-3 supplements, according to the omega-3 industry body GOED.
What it means for you
- Prices may rise, but not overnight. Brands buy oil months ahead, so any increase usually reaches shops with a delay. We cannot say yet whether, or by how much, prices will go up.
- Compare by EPA + DHA, not by fish oil. A “1,000 mg fish oil” capsule often has only 300 mg of EPA + DHA. The UK and EU heart claim needs 250 mg of EPA + DHA a day; work out the cost of that amount.
- Algae oil does not depend on anchovy catches and gives DHA (many algae oils have little EPA) for vegetarians and vegans, usually at a higher price per milligram today.
- Fish remains the food-first option: the NHS suggests at least two portions a week, one of them oily.
We plan to add cost per 250 mg of EPA + DHA, from shop prices, to our omega-3 comparisons.
Sources
- SeafoodSource — Peru officially cancels the second anchovy season of 2026 (16 Oct 2026)
- Revista Economía — Fishmeal output in Peru and Chile down 49%, fish oil down 30% (IFFO data, Oct 2026, Spanish)
- NutraIngredients — Omega-3 supply chains (26 Oct 2026)
- NutraIngredients — GOED perspective on the global fish oil supply (2023)
Information only, not medical advice. No brand or shop paid for this item.