The Central Executive of the government of Chile will now present several indications to the General Fisheries Bill, which is now being processed in Congress, to set deadlines for the implementation of different issues: fishing permits, certifications and use of satellite positioning systems (SPS) for vessels over 12 metres in length.
According to the head of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries (Subpesca), Pablo Galilea, “these new requirements will not apply from the first day of entry into force of the new fisheries act, but there will be deferred deadlines ranging from one to four years for their implementation.”
In addition, he explained that “certain factors such as the type of fishery and the zones or regions where the activity is held” would be taken into account.
The goal is “to set a gradual legislation to present deadlines that are sufficiently cautious to incorporate these important changes in the industry,” the undersecretary pointed out.
Galilea emphasized that 90.3 per cent of the artisanal fishing vessels (11,805 ships) will not be affected by the obligation to use the SPS, certification and payment of permits, because they are vessels having less than 12 metres in length.
He said that the Government is considering the possibility that the implementation of the SPS or the compliance with the required certifications, among other issues, could be financed, eventually, with charges to the payment of permits.
According to data from the Artisanal Fisheries Registry (AFR), there are currently 13,073 artisanal vessels in Chile. Out of that total, 1,268 vessels have a size ranging from more than 12 metres to 18 metres in length.
Last year these vessels, involving only 9.7 per cent of the total, captured 1,189,821 tonnes of fishing resources, that is to say, 82.3 per cent of the artisanal landing.
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