Undersecretariat for FisheriesUndersecretariat for FisheriesMinistry of EconomyMinistry of Economy

CHILECHILE

Paula MORENO SilvaEnvironmental Affairs Adviser

Aquaculture Department

-2002-

Undersecretariat for Fisheries Undersecretariat for Fisheries

The Undersecretariat for Fisheries is the superior regulatory official institution in charge of elaborating Chilean Fishery and Aquaculture Policies.

Undersecretariat for Fisheries Undersecretariat for Fisheries

General Objectives – To assure the preservation of living aquatic

resources and environment of the country.

– To promote the development of the local fishery and aquaculture sector.

Administrative Administrative DepartmentDepartment

Administrative Administrative DepartmentDepartment

Diffusion Diffusion and and

Cooperation Cooperation DepartmentDepartment

Diffusion Diffusion and and

Cooperation Cooperation DepartmentDepartment

Fisheries Fisheries DepartmentDepartment

Fisheries Fisheries DepartmentDepartment

Sectoral Sectoral Analyses Analyses

DepartmentDepartment

Sectoral Sectoral Analyses Analyses

DepartmentDepartment

Fisheries Fisheries CoordinationCoordination DepartmentDepartment

Fisheries Fisheries CoordinationCoordination DepartmentDepartment

Aquaculture Aquaculture DepartmentDepartment

Aquaculture Aquaculture DepartmentDepartment

CabinetCabinet CabinetCabinet

FisheriesFisheries Development Development

DivisionDivision

FisheriesFisheries Development Development

DivisionDivision

Legal Legal DivisionDivision

Legal Legal DivisionDivision

Fishing Fishing Management Management

DivisionDivision

Fishing Fishing Management Management

DivisionDivision

Ministry of EconomyMinistry of Economy Ministry of EconomyMinistry of Economy

Undersecretariat Undersecretariat for Fisheriesfor Fisheries

Undersecretariat Undersecretariat for Fisheriesfor Fisheries

Environmental Environmental Affairs UnitAffairs Unit

Environmental Environmental Affairs UnitAffairs Unit

CHILECHILEChile is located at the southwest of

South America. North with Peru and Bolivia.South with the Antarctic Ocean.East with Argentina.

CHILECHILE

Chile has almost three types of weather:– Desert in the northern part of the country.– Mediterranean in the middle.– Template / cold template in the southern

zone.

CHILECHILE

Although Chile has experimented a fast development in the last years, its economy depends on natural resources exploitation: – Fishing– Aquaculture– Agriculture– Forestry– Mining

Pollution problems in the coastal area and Pollution problems in the coastal area and conflicts of interests in the northern conflicts of interests in the northern

coastal areascoastal areas

Pollution problems in the coastal area and Pollution problems in the coastal area and conflicts of interests in the middle and conflicts of interests in the middle and

middle-south coastal areasmiddle-south coastal areas

Pollution problems in the coastal area and Pollution problems in the coastal area and conflicts of interests in the southern coastal conflicts of interests in the southern coastal

areasareas

Environment and AquacultureEnvironment and Aquaculture

Over 80% of aquaculture activity take place in enclosed coastal seas, fjords, and channels in the south-austral zone of my country.

This is due the geographical featuring, those marine ecosystems have a very high environmental value.

Environment and AquacultureEnvironment and Aquaculture

Aquaculture farms by administrative region

X 77%

IX 1%

VIII 1%

VII 0%

VI 0% V

0% IV 3%

III 3%

II 0%

I 0% XII

2% XI 13%

Environment and AquacultureEnvironment and Aquaculture

Aquaculture, like any productive activity, may cause several impacts over the environment, such as: – Alteration in the distribution and

abundance of local biota.– Biological diversity alteration, which

may also result on nutrients or organic waste input, and the escape of culture organisms (competition).

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

The Chilean environmental regulations have developed from the beginning of aquaculture, and the Undersecretariat has continuously been making requirements so that aquaculture development is environmentally sustainable in seas, lakes or rivers.

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

It established that aquaculture activity should not be developed over natural grounds of fishing resources, and specially, that every aquaculture farm must be located within the so-called Aquaculture Appropriate Areas (AAA).

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

In 1994, the General Law of Environment was published and it showed the importance acquired by the environment issues in the Chilean society.

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

Later, in 1997,  the Regulations for the Environmental Impact Evaluation System (SEIA) were put into force.

These established that all aquaculture projects must be environmentally evaluated.

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

In December 2001, the Environmental Regulations for the Aquaculture was published, which established a coherent  complementary procedure with the Environmental Impact Evaluation System . 

These regulations established a limit to the negative interactions produced by aquaculture, which is defined by anaerobic conditions in sediments underneath culture cages. 

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

Since 1994, Chile has a National Policy for Coastal Use Zone.

By means of this Decree, the National Commission of Coastal Zone Use was created.  Its functions are to propose the President ideas for the encouragement of the Policy of Coastal Zone Use.  

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

This Commission is constituted by:

1. The Ministry of Defense2. The Undersecretariat for Navy3. A representative from the Undersecretariat for

Regional Development, belonging Ministry of Internal Affairs

4. A representative from Undersecretariat for Fisheries from Ministry of Economy

5. A representative from Ministry of Planning 6. A representative from Ministry of Public Works  

Policies and organizationsPolicies and organizations

7. A representative from Ministry of Urbanism 8. A representative from Ministry of Transport

and Telecommunications 9. A representative from Ministry of National

Property 10. A representative from Chilean Navy11. A representative from National Tourism

Service12. A representative from National Commission

for Environment Protection

Monitoring systemMonitoring system

The extension of my country makes it  difficult and expensive to implement a monitoring system for marine ecosystem.

Monitoring systemMonitoring system

The next year the Environmental Affairs Unit from Aquaculture Department will perform a system of environmental information management, in order to make a decision and also for co-ordination among different public institutions.

My experience My experience  in environment in environment

management on enclosed coastal seasmanagement on enclosed coastal seas

My experience consists mainly in evaluating environmental information,  although this information is only partial due to the  great difficulty existing  to gather information for evaluation of  the synergic effects in the environment.

My experience...My experience...

In may 2001 on the ocassion of an oil spill at Moraleda Channel, Aysen region, south of Chile, I carried out an on site inspection to evaluate the damages caused by this environmental disaster. 

My experience... My experience... 

I worked as an Adviser in a Project of Territorial Planning, in the south of Chile. In this project I was adviser in water pollution of Villarrica’s Lake, featuring the quality of water from the physical, chemical and microbiological point of view.

My experience...My experience...

Today,  I perform Environmental impact evaluation of new projects according to the National Environmental Law, and specifically  the environmental regulations of the Undersecretariat for Fisheries.