Governances and Invisibilities: Interests and Rationalities in the Socio-Environmental Regulation of Salmon Farming in Chile

Abstract

This text analyses the regulation and certification process of Chilean salmon farming based on the discourse of its actors. First we will show how new governance structures in the neoliberal context are a result of negotiation processes between diverse actors. Secondly, we will argue how said governance manages to articulate environmental rationalities and interests of a variety of actors from industry and civil society, however at the cost of minimizing socio-labor issues and suppressing the question of who has access to the use of nature. This implies privatizing common marine resources and contributes towards excluding several organized actors.

Social-Environmental Conflicts in Chile: Is There Any Potential for an Ecological Constitution?

“…These problems resulted in a decline in salmon production and exports. The ISA virus reduced salmon output from 400,000 tons in 2005 to 100,000 tons in 2010 [113], entailing the dismissal of thousands of workers [114]. Chiloé is a clear example of the socio-ecological impacts of the aquaculture industry's degradation of water quality.…”

“…The impacts include the displacement of local fishermen from their traditional fishing areas as a result of the privatization of common marine resources. The aquaculture industry excluded several organized actors [114], and decreased in catches due to the pollution of estuaries, with economic consequences for fisherfolk and their families. In addition, the salmon industry's sanitary crisis in 2007 triggered a socioeconomic crisis in Chiloé due to the sudden increase in unemployment.…”