On Thursday, December 21, the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, presented in the coastal town of Quintay the legislative project of the new general fishing law, a pending promise of his Government that today remains in the hands of Parliament. The current law became official in 2012 and is not democratic nor does it represent the common interest, but rather the private interest, Boric said in his speech.
“This new law is deeply relevant because the past, present and future of our homeland are inextricably linked to the sea, to its thousands of kilometers of coastline, and also because The current fishing law does not have the legitimacy nor does it meet the standards that democracy demands. Although social organizations participated in its preparation in good faith, there were those who during its processing put private interests above common interests,” explained the Chilean president.
President Boric emphasized that this is a law created through corruption, therefore, it is necessary to change it. In this way, the new proposal is based on three axes: first, it introduces greater transparency in the sector; second, seeks to ensure equity to contribute to improving the quality of life of those who operate in this activity, as long as marine ecosystems are conserved; and third, the sustainable development of the activity that implies responsible management of resources.
Industrial opposition
Although it was reported that more than 200 meetings were held with different actors in the sector (artisanal and industrial fishing, women dedicated to related activities, process plant workers, academics, scientists, etc.), in coves a throughout the country, in which more than 6,000 people participated to prepare this proposal, some unions in the industrial sector have not been very satisfied, according to the Diario Financiero (DF).
“No one from the country’s industrial fishing sector was invited to this morning’s activity, a discourtesy that we interpreted as a signal to make our sector invisible and stigmatizes,” Macarena Cepeda, president of the Industrial Fishermen of Biobío association, told DF. While the National Fisheries Society stated that it did not know the real content of the proposal, but that it should have clear long-term rules.
Source: Larepublica
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