Workshop to analyze demands and perceptions of salmon farming was held in Chile

Christian Pérez A three day workshop was held in Puerto Varas, Chile, in the context of the project funded by the Research Council of Norway (NFR) “A Cross-disciplinary Integrated Eco-systemic Eutrophication Research and Management Approach – Cintera 2012-2014” led by professor Jennifer Bailey from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). In the meeting also participated the Chilean researchers Hugo Salgado (Centro INCAR and Universidad de Talca, Chile), Humberto González and José Luis Iriarte (Universidad Austral, Chile), Klaudia Hernández (CIEN Austral, Chile); and Norwegian researchers: Murat Van Ardelan (Marine Biogeochemistry) and Dr. Lasse Olsen (Marine Biologist, NTNU), John Ellis and Rachel Tiller (Political Science, NTNU). The goal of the Cintera Project is to conduct a comparative analysis between Norway and Chile of the impacts of salmon aquaculture on eutrophization as well as the perception of different stakeholder groups about the impacts of salmon aquaculture on their communities. During this meeting a public seminar was held to inform stakeholders about the preliminary results obtained by the project. Previously, between January and May, seven stakeholder workshops were conducted in Chile, in the cities of Santiago, Concepción, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas; and five in Norway, on the island of Frøya. The similarities and differences on the socio-economic and ecological conditions between Norway and Chile were analyzed and discussed with local stakeholders, including artisanal fishermen, NGO representatives, Government agencies and salmon aquaculture companies. The work in the Cintera Project will continue during the next year to continue analyzing the data being generated and in the integration of results from the natural and social sciences and the publication of the results in scientific journals.