The Andes are a chain of mountains which extend along the length of South America's western seaboard. Its central area served as the background to a series of cultures which flourished right up until the arrival of the first Europeans, which took place whilst the Inca were in power. The Inca represent the peak of cultural development in South America. For almost two centuries they ruled over a number of cultures in an area which comprises substantial parts of present day Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Argentina. A number of these cultures had developed strong maritime traditions, which were the result of their longstanding relationship and links with the sea. The Incas on the other hand originated in the Cusco region, high in the Andes and were not natural seafarers.

In addition to fishing traditions, some of these cultures with maritime foundations exploited guano (bird excrement which served as a fertilizer) from islands off the coast of Peru; and undertook short- and long-range maritime trade. In many instances, these cultures and their successors retained a relationship with the sea, which remained almost intact and largely unchanged until the mid-19th century, when the growing presence of European fishermen in these fishing communities, as well as competition and the use of more efficient vessels,affected.