Chile and China cooperate to improve aquaculture activities between both countries

The Chilean Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca), Julio Salas, along with the Director of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, María Soledad Tapia, and Senator Fidel Espinoza – President of the Senate's Commission on Maritime Interests, Fisheries, and Aquaculture – traveled to China to strengthen the relationship and promote fisheries cooperation between the two countries.

"We have managed to establish a cooperation link with different institutions of the Chinese Academy, particularly with Shanghai University and the Chinese Academy of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, to foster exchange with our scientific community and also technological exchange to improve the conditions of artisanal fishing activities," explained Salas.

Specifically, a technical working group from Shanghai University, whose delegation will travel to Chile this year, aims to support research and development of technologies to deter the presence of sea lions in artisanal fishing areas.

A fruitful visit

The authorities had the opportunity to visit a research center focused on aquaculture and attend technical visits related to deep-sea fishing in the coastal city of Zhoushan.

They also met with experts and researchers from Shanghai Maritime University and various authorities from the Asian country, reaching significant agreements and commitments for the future of fisheries and aquaculture.

Subpesca highlighted a meeting in Beijing with Zhang Zhili, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, where they exchanged views on promoting fisheries cooperation between China and Chile.

"We are very satisfied with the outcome of this visit, particularly because our Chinese counterparts have established a high-level team led by doctors from Shanghai Maritime University, who are studying the interaction mechanisms between artisanal fishing and marine mammals. They will schedule a visit to the country during the first half of the year, and we will likely have technological solutions that improve the conditions of artisanal fishing thanks to this cooperation," added the Undersecretary.

In 2023, the Chilean Executive made an official protocol that opened the doors to fresh Pacific salmon or coho salmon export from Chile to the demanding Chinese market.