The bill to regulate giant squid catch will be considered in particular by the Chamber of Senates after the Fisheries Commission released the legal text without approving indications "because they did not adhere to the spirit of the bill or were inadmissible."
The cuttlefish is one of the resources that supports artisanal fishing.
Despite the fact that a dozen indications were submitted, the bill that modifies the General Fisheries and Aquaculture Act in order to regulate giant squid capture, remained as such and had been approved in general by the Chamber of Senators. That is to say, it is established that the giant squid "can only be caught using jigging gear or hand line as a fishing tackle", and any other type of fishing gear is prohibited.
The initiative studied by the Commission on Maritime Interests, Fisheries and Aquaculture stipulates that shipowners who violate the provision will be sanctioned with a fine of 500 UTM (more than CLP 24 million/USD 35,000), in addition to the confiscation of hydrobiological species and products derived from them.
Cuttlefish or giant squid, Dosidicus gigas.
It should be remembered that the bill, in the second constitutional procedure, seeks to reduce the fishing effort of the giant squid (Dosidicus gigas) by favouring more selective gear, such as jigging gear or hand line, and the prohibition of any other type of gear or fishing tackle.
It is also based on the fact that in recent years the fishery for this cephalopod has come to replace others that are in crisis, especially affecting artisanal fishermen, which according to the respective registry, would be some 500,000 people, considering direct and indirect jobs.
According to Senator Ximena Rincon, one of the members of the Commission, "none of the indications presented adhered to the spirit of the bill, or were declared inadmissible and therefore were rather dilatory or distorting."
Along the same lines, Senator Adriana Muñoz expressed her agreement with the protection of the initial idea and expressed her hope that the unconstitutionality of the text is not sought.
"We have struggled with the Government's observations that this is an inadmissible, unconstitutional bill, and we hope that the Government will not surprise us by advancing to other levels in trying to install it as an unconstitutional bill," she pointed out.
Cuttlefish fishing in the VIII region, Chile. (Youtube)
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