The Palena local government in Chilean Patagonia recently ordered the navy to remove all breeding cages of industrial salmon illegally placed by Pacific Star Salmon Company in Chaiten village. The company has also occupied areas important for the livelihood of local fishermen.
The caging destroys natural shoals of fishes and shellfishes, contaminating water and marine resources, which are very important for fishermen. The local government had to remove these cages under the Regulation of Aquaculture Concessions.
For the first time in the Chilean salmon industry, a salmon company occupying areas where salmon farming was forbidden has been expelled due to pressures from local citizens and environmentalists.
Ecoceanos, an NGO, said the Chaiten incident was only "the tip of the iceberg", as many salmon companies still use illegal cages.
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