The Municipality of Calbuco in **Chile** has reported a serious ecological damage in the Estero Rulo wetland, a zone protected by municipal decree, following the illicit intervention of the Novofish **salmon farming company**.
Mayor Marco Silva confirmed that **two lagoons dried up** and **three wetlands were drained**, causing irreparable impact on the local ecosystem.
On February 17, 2025, residents of the Rulo area alerted the authorities about the intervention in the wetland, recognized as a **protected area** by Municipal Decree No. 8647, as stated in the Public Statement of the Municipality of Calbuco on February 23. However, the landowners, related to Novofish, obstructed the initial access of the **municipal inspectors**.
Faced with this situation, the mayor ordered the **immediate suspension of the works** and filed a complaint with the Local Police Court and the Superintendence of the Environment (SMA).
## Reactions and measures against the environmental damage
On February 24, Mayor Silva met with residents to coordinate actions. The community expressed its **concern about the impact on the wetland’s biodiversity**, a **vital ecosystem** for the commune. “We will not allow interventions that threaten the ecological balance,” Silva stated, reaffirming his commitment to **environmental protection**, as reported in a statement from the Municipality of Calbuco on social media on February 24.
On February 25, a field inspection, accompanied by the Regional Secretary of the Environment, Liliana Alarcón, and law enforcement, confirmed the **serious damage**.
## Legal and community actions
The Novofish salmon company claims that **the land is intended for reforestation**, not for commercial or industrial activities. However, neighbors and authorities refute this version, pointing out that the installation of pipes and the drainage of water bodies demonstrate a different purpose.
The Estero Rulo wetland is a **critical ecosystem for Calbuco’s biodiversity**, and its destruction represents an attack on the commune’s natural heritage. Fines for illegal interventions in protected areas can reach up to 5 UTM, but **the environmental damage is already irreversible**, according to a Public Statement from the Municipality of Calbuco issued on February 23.
The Municipality of Calbuco has implemented the use of drones and other technologies to monitor compliance with environmental regulations. In addition, it has urged the community to report any **illegal intervention in protected areas**, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable development, as highlighted in the public statement.
## The origin of salmon farming companies in Chile
Salmon was introduced in Chile in the early 20th century, but it wasn’t until the late 1980s that Pinochet’s dictatorship boosted the **salmon industry**, making it one of the most productive in the country. However, over half of the sector’s companies are foreign, mainly Norwegian, and operate in the Chilean Patagonian **region**.
Norway also introduced intensive **farming technologies** in Chile, such as submersible cages, where hundreds of thousands of salmon are fattened through an **automated feeding system**, to then be “harvested” using hoses that suction them and take them to processing plants.
## Environmental impact of salmon farming in Chile
While in Norway salmon is a wild species that feeds on crustaceans, acquiring its characteristic color, in Chile they must add **colorants to their feed** so the fish’s flesh looks pink. Additionally, they are treated with **large amounts of antibiotics** to survive outside their natural habitat. Because of this, the fish’s excrement **pollutes the waters and seabeds**.
Transnational salmon companies comply with the legislation in their home countries, but in Chile, they take advantage of the lack of control by local authorities to breed many more salmon than allowed. This **overproduction** has led to the **escape of millions of specimens** from the cages, which have **preyed on local species** and severely affected the marine balance. Also, the high oxygen demands caused by the fish density in the farming cages decrease the dissolved oxygen, creating the so-called dead zones that kill marine life.
The salmon industry continues to expand in Patagonia, increasingly towards the south. After saturating the sea in Chiloé and Aysén, it has now reached Cape Horn, at the southernmost tip. In its advance, along with marine ecosystems, this industry is eradicating the **ways of life of indigenous peoples and local communities**.
*Cover photo: RadioJGM archive*
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