Chilean industrial fishing reaches 97% sustainability certification rate

Chilean industrial fishing has reached a milestone where 97% of the volume landed by fleets and plants associated with the National Fisheries Society (Sonapesca) is now part of sustainability certification programs. This achievement was highlighted during a commemoration of ten years of certified industrial fisheries in Coquimbo.

Approximately one million tons are currently certified under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard. When combining MSC and MarinTrust programs, 14 industrial fisheries are included in these sustainability schemes. The MSC evaluations focus on three core pillars: the status of exploited populations, the impact of fishing activities on the ecosystem, and the existence of an effective management system supported by regulations and institutional oversight.

Osvaldo Urrutia, the Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture, attributed these results to sustained cooperation between public agencies, scientists, workers, and the industry. He noted that several fisheries have already successfully undergone recertification processes.