On the occasion, over 500 leaders and fishermen from all over Chile expressed their rejection to the fishing bill pending in the House of Representatives.
The ceremony was also attended by Senators Juan Pablo Letelier, Ximena Rincn, Ricardo Lagos Weber, Carlos Bianchi, Mariano Ruiz-Esquide, Jorge Pizarro and Andres Zaldivar, among others.
Senate President Camilo Escalona addressed the assembly in the hall of the Congress and said that "apart from the parliamentary opposition of government there are many who share the concern that the country could not be explained if fishing was over. This is a problem in Chile."
He asserted that: "This is a warning to the future of Chile and the country needs to save its fishing."
There is now a threat that two or three big economic groups will control the sea through economic holdings and therefore break the equality and rights for artisanal fishermen.
Defending the Rights of Artisanal Fishermen
CHILE - Senators from the opposition party are supporting artisanal fishermen's rights against the pending fisheries bill. This bill would provide more benefit to commercial fishermen but would modify the access for artisanal fishermen.
by Lucy Towers
