Location
Huanchaco, La Libertad Region, Peru
Huanchaco lies on Peru’s northern Pacific coast. The beach and ocean are connected to nearby reed-growing areas that supply totora for traditional fishing craft.
Chapter 06 · Northern Coast · Elevation Sea level
Huanchaco Fishermen
The Last Fishermen
The story
A seafaring tradition at the edge
Fishermen in Huanchaco share a tradition of working at sea in caballitos de totora and their hopes for passing that knowledge to another generation.
In Huanchaco, fishermen cultivate, cut, and dry totora reeds before shaping them into caballitos de totora—“little horses of reed.” These craft carry a living connection between the coast, the plants that grow there, and the knowledge needed to fish at sea.
The fishermen describe pressures on that way of life: competition from industrial fishing, coastal erosion affecting reed-growing areas, and younger generations choosing different livelihoods. Their story asks what it takes to sustain a tradition when both the environment and the world of work are changing.
Environmental focus
Land, climate, and continuity
Fishing and reed cultivation depend on one another. Caring for the coast means considering both the ocean and the wetland plants that make this practice possible.
In this chapter
A closer look
From working with reeds to setting out from the shore, the chapter follows a fishing practice sustained by skill and experience. The fishermen’s accounts place cultural continuity at the center of the story.
The documentary seriesComing October 2026
Get a first look at the six-part journey across Peru.
Watch the trailerContinue the story
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