Peruvians all over the country pay tribute to their country’s flagship dish, ceviche, as part of the celebrations to commemorate the National Ceviche Day that falls on June 28.
Within the framework of this national observance, Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Juan Requejo disclosed that over 70% of homes in Lima make ceviche with bluefish.
Blue and white fish such as dolphinfish and hake —known as perico and merluza in Peru, respectively— are the most caught species in the Andean nation; in addition, they are more affordable for housewives due to their low price.
The national program A Comer Pescado (Let’s Eat Fish) has recently launched a recipe book named El Pescado Azul (Bluefish) at Lima’s central market.
The cookbook’s motto Let’s Save Ceviche by Going Back to its Origin was adopted as part of a campaign seeking to reduce the pressure over fisheries of sole, croaker and grunt fish —species used to make ceviche, whose sustainability may be at risk.
This is why actions are taken to boost consumption of other species instead, as is the case of bluefish, with which ceviche was originally made.
(END) MVM/CNA/RMB/MVB
Published: 6/28/2016