Chile confirms 54% of its fisheries are in a "healthy state"

The Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca) has reported, as it does every year, the status of fisheries nationwide, with 54% of them in a healthy state according to the data verified in 2024.

Out of the 24 fisheries, 11 are fully exploited and 2 are underexploited. Meanwhile, 33% of the fisheries (8) are in a state of overexploitation, and 13% (3) are considered depleted.

Specifically, Subpesca has detailed that the fisheries for Deep-sea Cod, Squid, South Sardine (Los Lagos), and South Sardine (Aysén) have shown improvement in their status compared to 2023.

Additionally, thanks to the increased availability of information, the report now includes the fishery for benthic crustacean resources: the King Crab (Los Lagos-Magallanes).

Finally, Subpesca highlights the 36 Management Committees and the establishment of 23 Management Plans that have been enacted and are currently in operation.

Furthermore, there are 11 Plans for Reducing Bycatch and Incidental Catch, which include 17 industrial and artisanal fisheries for pelagic species, crustaceans, demersals, and deep-water species.

Good Outlook for Jack Mackerel

The South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), formed by Chile and 16 other member countries, manages the jack mackerel fishery.

During a period of low productivity, more precautionary management measures were implemented. As a result, the Scientific Committee has classified the resource as being in a Healthy conservation status.

For this reason, during the 13th Commission meeting held in February of this year in Santiago, Chile, a quota level higher than the historically adopted one was approved, with a 25% increase for 2025.

This translates to 1,552,500 tons, of which 1,419,119 tons are allocated to the member countries, with Chile holding a 66% share. The total mackerel landing in the country during 2024 reached 1.1 million tons, representing a 26,9% increase compared to the same period in 2023.