In response, the centre-left wing government granted subsidies worth hundreds of million dollars to rescue the industry, which was severely questioned by the civil society.

Criticism was not only based on the fact that the government was using money of the citizens to rescue a private industry, but also on the negative effects this represents for the environment and the workers, since salmon companies incur in anti-unionist practices and do not comply with international safety standards. In Chile, salmon farming is the second cause of death related to labour at a national level, after construction works.

Now, the Chilean Parliament is studying a bill to modify the Fisheries and Aquiculture Law, which according to the government aims to reactivate the industry of salmon.

This has been extremely criticized by civil society organizations from Chile: according to them, the law privatizes the sea, since it grants 25-year concessions.

But another was the opinion of the House of Representatives which decided to move forward with the bill, and today it will be discussed by the Senate.

Photo: Ecoceanos