A few days before the elections, the discussion about intensive salmon farming returned to the forefront in Tierra del Fuego, following the advancement of projects seeking to amend Provincial Law 1355, which currently prohibits salmon farming in jurisdictional waters.
The candidate for senator from the Defendamos TDF party, Gastón Díaz, denounced that there is an attempt to approve the reform “without debate or citizen participation.”
“When Law 1355 was enacted, more than 70 institutions went through the commission. It cannot be modified in the dead of night,” warned Díaz.
Law 1355: an environmental achievement at risk
Enacted in 2021, Law 1355 prohibits salmonid farming in the Fuegian sea to preserve coastal ecosystems. The law was the result of an unprecedented participatory process, with contributions from scientific, environmental, and community organizations.
However, in a joint committee meeting, the project promoted by the provincial Executive and the La Libertad Avanza bloc, with support from Fuerza Patria, was approved to allow salmon farming on land and in maritime areas, excluding the Beagle Channel due to its tourist value.
Arguments in favor: economic development and employment
Those promoting the amendment argue that salmon farming could:
- Generate fiscal revenue through the zoning of productive areas
- Create direct and indirect employment, although intensive production requires little labor
- Boost exports, citing the Chilean model as an example of growth
Arguments against: environmental impact and job insecurity
Opponents warn that salmon farming:
- Pollutes the marine environment with organic waste, chemicals, and antibiotics
- Spreads diseases and parasites, affecting native fauna
- Causes incidental mortality of species such as sea lions and dolphins
- Introduces invasive species that disrupt the ecological balance
- Harms tourism and artisanal fishing, key activities in the local economy
- Offers precarious jobs, with low demand for skilled labor
Fuegian ecosystems: natural heritage at risk
The recent stranding of orcas in the South Atlantic once again highlighted the fragility of marine ecosystems. Fuegian waters are characterized by their tidal range, making them sensitive areas with high biodiversity.
“Our province has unique glaciers, wetlands, seas, and peatlands. In Europe, they are already extinct,” Díaz remarked.
Development with sustainability: a call for serious debate
From the Defendamos TDF party, a deep and consensual debate is proposed, with the participation of scientific institutions, local communities, and environmental actors.
“Economic development must be planned, orderly, and with a sustainability perspective. The main beneficiaries must be the Fuegians, not external interests,” Díaz stated.
What’s at stake?
Salmon farming represents a model of intensive production that can compromise the health of ecosystems and repeat past mistakes if implemented without control or participation.
The social license and intersectoral dialogue are key to defining the direction of development in a province that hosts one of the most exceptional environments on the planet.
