The Falkland Islands administration (not recognized by Argentina) announced that between June 30 and August 24, it will carry out a public consultation to determine whether the inhabitants of the archipelago want to install **massive salmon production farms** in the surrounding waters.
This type of venture is **prohibited in Tierra del Fuego since 2021**, due to its **high environmental risks** and the impact it can generate in the **Patagonian ecosystem**.
## Options to be evaluated in the consultation
The residents of the islands must choose one of the following positions:
1. Not allowing salmon farming in the Falkland Islands.
2. Allowing it without more limits than the environmental carrying capacity.
3. Allowing it with much lower limits than the environmental carrying capacity.
4. Authorizing only specialized farming methods, such as organic production.
Although this consultation seeks to know the opinion of the population, it is **not binding**, and the final decision will be in the hands of the **Legislative Assembly** that administers the islands.
## The ongoing project: Danish investment in salmon farming
The company **Unity Marine**, formed by **Danish and islander capitals**, has already proposed the installation of an industrial production of **salmon in floating cages** in coastal waters.
The plan includes generating **50,000 tons annually** with the potential to reach **200,000 tons** in the future.
## Environmental impact of industrial salmon farming
Environmental experts have warned about the **serious ecological effects** of this type of exploitation.
As explained to the TN portal by **Catalina Cendoya**, director of **Global Resistance against Salmon Farming** in the NGO **Por el Mar**, a salmon farm is basically **”a feedlot in the water”**, where:
– **Antiparasitics and pesticides** used in production can contaminate the ocean.
– **Thousands of overcrowded fish** favor the spread of **parasites** such as the **sea louse**, reaching levels up to **16 times higher** than those found in the natural state.
– **Toxic chemicals** used affect species such as **king crabs, crabs, and lobsters**, damaging artisanal fishing.
– **Excess waste and excrement** generate **dead zones**, affecting the biodiversity of the environment.
## Previous cases of contamination from salmon farming
In **Chile**, in **2021**, thousands of tons of **dead salmon** were reported in the **Comau fjord and the Jacaf and Puyuhuapi channels** due to **lack of oxygen** caused by the proliferation of **toxic algae** generated by industrial farms.
The installation of these farms in the **Falkland Islands** represents an environmental threat that **would not be limited only to that territory**.
*”It is impossible to contain salmon in a specific country or province. They are very athletic fish, they swim up to 6,000 kilometers. If there are farms in the Falklands, salmon will inevitably reach the continent,”* warned **Cendoya**.
This poses **additional risks** to Argentine marine fauna, especially to the **king crab**, a key resource for **gastronomy and tourism** in Tierra del Fuego.
## A debate on sovereignty and conservation
In addition to the ecological impact, salmon farming in the **Falklands** generates controversy due to the exploitation of **natural resources that Argentina claims as its own**.
The public consultation could be **a preliminary step to the authorization of these farms**, deepening the conflict between **Argentina and the United Kingdom** regarding the management of the archipelago’s waters.
