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El Ciudadano

Original article: Pescadores artesanales acusan criminalización de Sernapesca y advierten negativo impacto económico en Biobío y Ñuble por nuevas medidas de fiscalización

In a public statement, artisanal fishermen using purse seine nets criticized the measures and campaigns disseminated by Sernapesca concerning fishing operations within the first mile of the coast. They accused the authority of providing incorrect information about their fishing methods, leading to a criminalization of their artisanal activities and directly affecting workers in Ñuble and Biobío.

“In light of the recent instructions and monitoring measures communicated by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service regarding operations in the first mile, we, the artisanal fishermen working with purse seine nets, wish to emphasize that the service’s media campaign is not accurate, as it criminalizes our activities by presenting incorrect information,” the statement begins.

The fishermen further explained that “Sernapesca claims that using purse seines to capture common sardines and anchovies at low depths creates a ‘bottom drag effect’. We categorically assert that this claim is not true and does not reflect the nature of our fishing technique, which is selective and does not aim to disturb the seabed or rocky fish ecosystems.”

“In practice, this alleged effect is virtually nonexistent. If it were true, the cost of nets would far exceed the operational value,” highlighted the artisanal fishermen.

Moreover, they added that the requirement for their nets to be less than 20 fathoms and for the mesh size to exceed 38 millimeters “represents an unbearable economic burden for the artisanal sector.”

“In terms of efficiency, changing or adapting our working equipment to meet these specifications is unsustainable for the continuity of our productive activities. It levels down, worsening our work conditions rather than improving technical standards,” they stated.

Finally, the fishermen reminded that “it is publicly known that the capture of sardines and anchovies is primarily a coastal activity, conducted within the first mile. By imposing such restrictive regulations and increasing monitoring pressures—including satellite surveillance for boats over 12 meters and physical measurements of nets with the Navy—this is unjustly harming the sector that has historically operated in these areas, especially in Ñuble and Biobío regions.”

“These measures hinder the normal development of artisanal fishermen, establishing barriers that only negatively affect our productive sector under the pretext of ecosystem protection that does not take our operational reality into account. We demand that Sernapesca authorities reassess these communication campaigns that directly impact public opinion negatively, and convene a dialogue table that acknowledges the importance of purse seine artisanal fishing and its contribution to the regional economy,” concludes the statement.

We will continue to provide updates.

La entrada Artisanal Fishermen Accuse Sernapesca of Criminalization, Warn of Economic Impact in Biobío and Ñuble Due to New Monitoring Measures se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.