Patricio Melero contributed to the approval of Chile's first Fisheries and Aquaculture Law in 1991, which incorporated the development of aquaculture and the sustainable use of marine resources.
Photo: SalmonChile.
SalmonChile announced that yesterday, Monday, at noon local time, its Board of Directors elected Patricio Melero Abaroa as its new President. An agricultural engineer with knowledge of the Chilean aquaculture sector, the association highlighted that, as a former congressman and former Minister of Labor and Social Security, he brings extensive experience in public policy to the position.
When he takes up his new role on March 1, Melero will be replacing Arturo Clément, who, according to the Board of Directors, will serve as Past President after completing his term, supporting his successor for a period of three months, which will facilitate the incorporation of the new incumbent.
As mentioned, in addition to his solid professional training as an agricultural engineer from the University of Chile, the new President of SalmonChile also has an outstanding public career spanning more than thirty years.
During his parliamentary career, he served on and chaired the Lower House's Fisheries and Aquaculture Committee for five terms, notably contributing to the passage of the first Fisheries and Aquaculture Act in 1991, which incorporated the development of aquaculture and the sustainable use of marine resources.
In its announcement, SalmonChile also highlighted that Patricio Melero has extensive experience working in the field and building relationships with communities, which is highly relevant for the trade association that brings together Chilean salmon farming producers and suppliers.
"Salmon farming is now the country's second largest export product and has enormous potential for further growth and market expansion, thereby generating more quality jobs and investment," Melero said after his appointment.
"I accept the challenge of presiding over SalmonChile with the aim of promoting this growth within a framework of environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and public-private collaboration that will generate greater certainty and facilitate its development," he added.
Regarding the work of his predecessor at the helm of the association in recent years, SalmonChile highlighted that Arturo Clément has led it by contributing to the strengthening and positioning of salmon farming at the national level, as well as to the development of sustainable production standards and good practices in the sector.
Without going any further, one of the latest initiatives developed by the association under his leadership was the publication of the scientific article 'Insights and Lessons from Chilean Salmon Aquaculture on Antimicrobial Use' to promote more sustainable and responsible practices in the use of antimicrobials in aquaculture, in which a group of 27 experts from Intesal, the scientific arm of SalmonChile, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and other prestigious national and international institutions participated.
Finally, the Board of Directors of SalmonChile also announced that the association's current Corporate Affairs Manager, Tomás Monge, will take over as General Manager of SalmonChile on February 1.