Chile fisheries enforcement crackdown

In late July 2026, Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) announced a month-long biological closure of the southern hake (merluza austral) for August, covering the entire national value chain and warning of imprisonment for violations. The agency demonstrated its heightened monitoring by conducting joint inspections that seized nearly 3 tonnes of unauthorised marine resources, including merluza austral, and detaining the driver involved.

A few days later, authorities responded to a violent theft of about 3.5 tonnes of jurel from a docked vessel in Coronel. The industrial fishing association filed legal complaints, and police detained three suspects accused of receiving the stolen fish. The incident, together with the earlier ban, illustrates a broader push by Chilean officials to clamp down on illegal fishing activities and enforce stricter controls across the sector.

Following the August ban, enforcement efforts continued into late August. In the Maule Region, Sernapesca and Carabineros de Chile conducted roadside inspections in sectors including Chanco, Cauquenes, and Lomas Las Tortillas. These operations resulted in the seizure of 245 kg of various hydrobiological resources lacking legal origin accreditation, including conger eel, jack mackerel, hake, and tuna fillet. Acting regional director Paula Sepúlveda Pereira stated these seizures are part of constant inspection work aimed at striking against illegal fishing and protecting sustainable resources.