Wed, 28 May 2025

Wed, 28 May 2025 Chile's salmon farms hope for calmer waters

Chilean salmon producers are being criticised for operating in some of the country's national parks.

* Chile is the world's second-largest exporter of farmed salmon, with the US being its largest market.
* The country's south is home to a large number of salmon farms, but there is a dispute over their presence in supposedly protected areas.
* There are 408 salmon farming concessions within environmentally protected areas, including national reserves and parks.
* Critics say the industry is highly polluting and harming the environment.
* Salmón Chile's chairman says the government needs to do more to help the industry expand and improve its regulatory framework.
* The Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture says efforts have been made to relocate fish farms from national parks, but it's a complex process that takes years.
* Industry experts say uncertainty over regulations is holding back investment in the sector.
* A general election due later this year may further delay progress on regulatory changes.
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