Serious accusation by fishermen in Tierra del Fuego: they claim that landowners fenced off access to the sea

A serious denunciation by fishermen in Tierra del Fuego is causing tension in the province. They claim that ranchers have imposed restrictions on access to the sea in different coastal areas.

As they expose, they have put up illegal fences and dug ditches, directly affecting the economic activity.

The denunciation by fishermen in Tierra del Fuego: who are they targeting

A group of artisanal fishermen from the cities of Ushuaia, Almanza, Tolhuin, and Río Grande claim that the owners of the ranches closed servitude passages they need to reach the sea.

“The law is clear: you cannot fence within 50 meters of the highest tide. However, the ranchers do not respect this,” expressed Orlando Genes, artisanal fisherman to Diario Prensa Libre.

“In the case of the La Fueguina ranch, owned by legislator Jorge Lechman, they placed posts and fences from the Río Laines bridge to the sea, completely obstructing access,” he pointed out.

The complaint also involves the owners of the La Pirinaika and María Luisa ranches, from the Sevillano family and Edy Vargaz.

These actions, according to the fishermen, violate article 19 of Law 244, which guarantees public corridors on the coasts for citizen transit.

“Source of livelihood”

Genes detailed that artisanal fishing is a source of livelihood for about 20 families in the region. The affected fishermen have commercial permits and pay the corresponding taxes.

However, the access restrictions not only hinder their work, but also put their tools and vehicles at risk.

“We cannot leave a car parked near the road while we check our nets because when we return we find the vehicles destroyed. This creates a climate of total insecurity. We only ask for access to the sea to work decently,” Genes demanded.

The fishermen’s activity, as reported, focuses on catching sea bass, silverside, salmon, hawkfish, pampanito, and dogfish, species that they sell to individuals, restaurants, and hotels in Ushuaia, Río Grande, and Tolhuin.

The group claims to have been making this kind of complaint to provincial and municipal authorities for several years, but without concrete answers. Now, they have gathered to make the protest visible. “We want the law to be enforced.”

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