An Appraisal of the Chilean Fisheries Sector

Chile is one of the major players in the world fishing scene. But during the past fifty years, Chile has had to face issues of over-investment, sharp declines in catch levels, disputes among stakeholders, fleet downsizing, and aquaculture diseases, among others. This report describes the challenging and complex learning process that the Chilean fisheries and aquaculture sector has undergone and the evolution of its policies and management systems. Governance of the industrial, artisanal and aquaculture industries has followed different paths of policy development and current management reflects the particular pressures confronting each segment of the sector. And policy evolution continues, with a range of initiatives underway to meet the current challenges. The Chilean state has been one of the main forces behind these developments, laying the foundation for a strong and robust fisheries and aquaculture sector.