The Peruvian anchoveta fishery boom in 1950 established Peru as the world's largest fishery for fishmeal, driven by the high demand for anchoveta. This boom peaked before the El Niño phenomenon caused a significant collapse in fish stocks. The fishery's rise and fall had profound economic implications for Peru, highlighting the vulnerability of marine ecosystems to climate variability.

The Peruvian anchoveta fishery boom in 1950 had significant cultural implications, influencing poets like César Vallejo. His works often reflected the economic vulnerabilities faced by communities, using the fishery as a metaphor for broader themes of survival, loss, and the human condition.