Fishing is a way of life in Peru.

And two out of every three fish consumed in Peru is caught in the Mar Tropical de Grau, one of the South American country’s most important fisheries. Fed by a convergence of currents, this region supports a wealth of marine life, including whales, sea turtles and whale sharks.

But this area is not immune from human-made pressures — oil and gas mining, overfishing, coastal development and unregulated tourism — that threaten to disrupt it.

Now, this fishery is getting a new lease on life.

On April 26, the Peruvian government established a marine protected area here that bans mining and regulates fishing. And as marine protected areas go, it’s quite small — only 1,155 square kilometers (446 square miles), an area just larger than New York City.…