Mussel farm ropes (Photo: acopes.es)

Project to relocate mussel concessions goes to mixed commission

CHILE
Thursday, September 12, 2019, 05:00 (GMT + 9)

The legislative project that extends the relocation procedure to aquaculture concessions other than salmon, as is the case of mussels (choritos), and establishes special seed collection permits, has been sent to a mixed commission, after the Chamber of Deputies rejected two of the changes promoted by the Senate.

In fact, the proposal was subject to various modifications in its second procedure, but a large part of them went through specifying points of the articles, such as, for example, that relocation should occur within the respective commune and consider an exception to the rule, when the concession is in a communal limit and implies entering totally or partially in another commune.

Example of two concessions of mussels displaced from the originally approved area (Photo: SUBPESCA)

It was also explained that the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca) is authorized to make adjustments of geographical coordinates ex officio or at the request of the interested party. In addition, the deadline of the respective Regional Commission for the Use of Coastal Edge (CRUBC) to decide on the proposal that, every five years , the Undersecretariat makes of areas that will be used to collect seeds, in accordance with the regulations, was reduced to one month. technical background and observations that apply.

Description of the importance of the chorito industry in the region (Image: Mussel from Chile) | Click on the image to enlarge it

The industrial structure of this sector is made up of 619 companies, of which 89% are micro and small and 11% are large and medium-sized companies, which manage a total of 1,115 authorized aquaculture concessions for the production of mitilides, equivalent to 13,005 ha. 

These and other general changes were approved by 133 votes in favor, 5 against and 4 abstentions. Different fate ran a distinction that the Senate sought to consecrate between concessions in perpetuity and those that will be valid for 25 years. This proposal was rejected by 66 votes in favor, 69 against and 7 abstentions.

With 283,300 tons produced in 2015, it has generated an export volume of 69,499 tons equivalent to USD 201 million FOB. This places Chile as the second largest world producer and exporter of mussels. (Image: Mejillón de Chile) | Click on the imagen to enlarge it

Also, the new text that replaced the second transitory article was not passed by he Chamber. This rule determines the procedure to carry out the polygons on which special collection permits will be granted in the Los Lagos region and specifies the method of calling, application, conditions and deadlines.

Both points should now be addressed by the mixed commission.

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