The Changos octopus (Octopus mimus) is distributed along the Eastern Pacific from Baja California (Mexico) to Central Chile (Cardoso et al. 2004)(Pliego-Cardenas et al. 2020). It is considered to be the most abundant octopus species within the Peruvian artisanal fishery (Álamo and Valdivieso 1997)(PRODUCE 2015). Samples taken from Paita (Peru) to Cifuncho (Chile) suggest that specimens derive from one homogenous population with low genetic diversity (Pardo-Gandarillas et al. 2018). Besides, Pliego-Cardenas et al. (2020) suggested that Peru should be considered as a management unit in the Eastern Pacific.

O. mimus fishery has not an exclusively dedicated fleet. On the contrary, this fishery is part of a Peruvian artisanal fleet consisting of small-scale vessels for which the target species (typically benthonic invertebrates) may vary over the year (Sauer et al. 2019). The main fishing method is diving (free or hookah), helped by hand implements such as gaffs and supported by an air compressor (Guevara-Carrasco and Bertrand 2017). According to national statistics, between 2000 and 2020, the most important landing points were: Ilo (Moquegua), San Andres (Ica), and Paita (Piura) (PRODUCE 2022).

No national assessments covering the entire Peruvian coast have been conducted (World Bank 2021), however, regional assessment have been carried out in Northern (i.e. Lobos de Afuera and Lobos de Tierra islands) (de la Cruz G. et al. 2020)(Ramírez et al. 2020) and Southern Peru (i.e. Punta Coles) (PRODUCE 2021). Additionally, assessments have been performed in northern Chile.