Chile's fish farmers look left and right for a way to grow
The two candidates still in the race to be president are being urged to reform laws that impede and threaten the salmon industry
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The two remaining candidates to be Chile’s next president have been urged to fix controversial laws that are said to be holding back the development of salmon farming, reports Fish Farming Expert’s Chilean sister site, Salmonexpert.cl.
Communist candidate Jeannette Jara and ultraconservative José Antonio Kast polled 26.7% and 24.1% of the vote respectively in yesterday’s first round, which eliminated other contenders. But other right-wing candidates took almost 30% of votes, meaning Kast is currently favourite to win the head-to-head run-off with Jara on December 14 if those votes are switched to him.
Both candidates have acknowledged the importance of the salmon sector to Chile’s southern regions, and three salmon farming organisations – SalmonChile, the Salmon Chile, and the Magallanes Salmon Farmers Association – have been careful not to express a preference for who wins.
Lafkenche Law
But the salmon sector is stressing the importance of addressing two issues: the Lafkenche Law, which ensures that indigenous communities have access to the water for traditional pursuits, and the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (BPAS) Law.
Fish farmers and other groups argue that the Lafkenche Law is being mis-used by indigenous groups hostile to fish farming who are demanding control of massive areas of the sea near the coast, sometimes with the help of foreign NGOs.
The BPAS Law is said to be causing great uncertainty about whether farmers will be able to continue operations in some areas.
Eugenio Zamorano, a partner at aquaculture consultancy Acuiestudios, pointed out that the presidential candidates should announce measures to restore competitiveness and revitalise the development of aquaculture, “which has stagnated in recent years”.
Limit indigenous claims
“While Jara’s platform alludes to decentralisation, the Undersecretariat of Fisheries’ short-term agenda, and a relocation bill whose content is still unknown because it hasn’t been submitted, none of these initiatives will have a significant impact if the problems caused by the poor implementation of the Lafkenche Law isn't addressed. In that context, her proposal should include complementing the pending legislative initiative to incorporate limits on the surface area of coastal space applications.”
Zamorano added: “Kast's platform includes measures to facilitate economic activity, but there are no concrete initiatives for aquaculture. In this context, and looking ahead to the second round, it is essential that he insist on relocation and the Lafkenche Law, as he has proposed during his visits to the regions.
“Likewise, both candidates should address the review of the implementation of the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service Law, which has created tremendous uncertainty for all economic activities, as well as renew support for opening new markets that strengthen the Chilean salmon brand.”
Strangled by red tape
Marcelo Campos, a parter at another consultancy, Acuasesorías, said: “It is crucial for the authorities to understand that sectoral regulations and excessive red tape, coupled with inefficient bureaucracy, cannot continue to hold back growth by paralysing projects.”
He added: “Among many other things that are fundamental for the consolidation of aquaculture, it is urgent to modify the Lafkenche Law, review the law that creates the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP), promulgate new National Policies for both Coastal Zone Use and Aquaculture, promote the use of clean energy, encourage technological innovation, favour responsible production, understand the effects of climate change, and ensure the protection of the environment.”
