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Original article: Tras retiro de nueva Ley de Pesca, advierten que Gobierno podría dar continuidad a la «Ley Longueira», cuestionada por su origen corrupto

Subsecretariat of Fishing Withdraws New Fishing Law, Sparking Concerns Over Continuation of Controversial ‘Longueira Law’

Just two weeks after the inauguration of President José Antonio Kast on March 26, the Subsecretariat of Fishing (Subpesca) announced the withdrawal of the new Fishing Law project that had been under deliberation in Congress for two years. Journalists Francisca Soto and Josefina Rochna documented this development in a detailed report for CIPER Chile, an independent investigative media outlet. The initiative, which aimed to replace the existing regulation known as the ‘Longueira Law’, is widely criticized for its roots in corruption and illegal political financing. Subsecretary Osvaldo Urrutia justified the withdrawal, stating that the priority is to build broad agreements, emphasizing that this approach prevents improvisations that could create uncertainty or hinder the competitiveness of a strategically essential activity for Chile.

According to the investigation by CIPER, the withdrawal has reignited the debate over the future of transferable fishing licenses (LTP). The halted project proposed granting licenses for 10 years and limiting them to the actual landings of each company, while the current ‘Longueira Law’ grants type A LTPs for 20 years with a ‘renewable’ status, effectively making them perpetual. The Subpesca document justifying the withdrawal, obtained by the outlet, warns that the changes would lead to a «high disruption for historic holders« and a «decrease in investment certainty«, arguments that align with the concerns of major fishing companies and the ruling party’s parliamentarians consulted by the media.

Opposition lawmakers and the artisanal fishing union accuse the government of aiming to maintain the two most controversial pillars of the ‘Longueira Law’. The article highlights that Deputy Jorge Brito, a former member of the Fishing Commission, stated on social media: «The corrupt Longueira Law, born from bribery and corruption, returns. Two years of work with the fishing communities of Chile are being thrown away by Kast«. Meanwhile, Hernán Cortés, president of the National Council for the Defense of Fishing Heritage (Condepp), expressed to the mentioned media: «There is total distrust regarding what the government says (…) If they tell me they will not touch the licensing system, it might be a good speech for the gallery, but at any moment they could come for it«.

In this context, the Subsecretariat of Fishing addressed the Licensing Law, a regulation promoted by the previous government that redistributed quotas from the industrial sector to the artisanal sector and has already led to lawsuits from companies such as Blumar, Friosur, Landes, and Foodcorp. When consulted by CIPER Chile, Subpesca assured that it would not modify this law: «Our mission is to implement it and find ways to solve difficulties unique to its application«. However, this statement has not alleviated the concerns among artisanal fishermen, who fear a regression in their rights, as highlighted by the publication led by its founding director, Mónica González.

While the ruling party, through figures like Senator Carlos Kuschel (RN) and Deputy Sergio Bobadilla (UDI), advocates for creating ‘legal certainty’ and protecting the ‘historic rights’ of the industry, the opposition warns about the corrupt origins of the current law. The report recalls that the ‘Longueira Law’ is overshadowed by convictions for bribery and corruption, such as those involving former Senator Jaime Orpis and former Deputy Marta Isasi, along with payments to family members of authorities linked to fishing guilds. The core debate remains open: stability for investment versus fairness and transparency in a sector marked by corruption.

For further details, read the full publication at CIPER Chile.

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After the Withdrawal of the New Fishing Law: Changes Proposed by the Government that Could Maintain the ‘Longueira Law’

La entrada Subsecretariat of Fishing Withdraws New Fishing Law, Sparking Concerns Over Continuation of Controversial ‘Longueira Law’ se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.