Peruvian chefs revive Inca ritual to protect fish stocks from El Niño
Peruvian chefs performed an Inca ritual in Callao, asking Mother Water to keep fish near shore as El Niño warms the Pacific and drives up seafood prices.
A guild of Peruvian chefs has turned to an ancient Inca ceremony to safeguard the country's marine life as the El Niño phenomenon disrupts the Pacific Ocean. The ritual, held on the coast at Callao, Peru's principal port, was aimed at persuading 'Mother Water' not to carry fish far from the shore.
Javier Vargas, president of the chefs' guild, said the ceremony was a revival of a tradition practised by the Incas and their ancestors for over 500 years. The chefs offered silver bowls of ceviche to the sea and cast a flower wreath into the water, with some participants dressed in the style of the Inca Empire.
Vargas expressed concern over the early signs of the coastal El Niño, warning it could seriously endanger the work of both fishermen and farmers. The ritual also served as a gesture of gratitude to the earth and sea for the food they provide.
Local fisherman Juan Acero, who has spent 40 years at sea, said fish stocks were critically low and that species like horse mackerel and skipjack tuna had moved further from the coast. The scarcity has driven up prices, with skipjack tuna rising 48% and horse mackerel 18% in June alone.
The Peruvian Navy's Hydrographic Directorate reported sea surface temperatures more than 5°C above normal along the northern coast and over 3°C higher elsewhere. Meteorologists warn this El Niño could rival the severe 1997 event, which brought heatwaves, floods, and droughts across the region.