Publisher's Synopsis
Chile is one of the major players in the world fishing scene. In 2006, Chile was ranked fifth in the world in terms of production from capture fisheries, seventh with respect to aquaculture production, and was the seventh largest exporter of fish and fish products. In the Chilean capture fisheries, the most abundant species are the pelagic ones - jack mackerel, sardine, anchovy and "caballa" mackerel - which are primarily fished by a modern industrial fleet. Salmon and trout farming dominate in aquaculture production. There is also a large artisanal fleet that has exclusive access rights to the waters five miles from the coastline, providing employment and food for many coastal communities. This report describes the challenging and complex learning process that the Chilean fisheries and aquaculture sector has undergone and the evolution of its policies and management systems. The policy framework governing the sector has evolved considerably during the past fifty years. Governance of the industrial, artisanal and aquaculture industries has followed different paths of policy development and current management reflects the particular pressures confronting each segment of the sector. Chile has had to face issues of over-investment, sharp declines in catch levels, disputes among stakeholders, fleet downsizing, and aquaculture diseases, among others. And policy evolution continues, with a range of initiatives underway to meet the current challenges. The Chilean state has been one of the main forces behind these developments, laying the foundation for a strong and robust fisheries and aquaculture sector.
