Chile’s Committee on Fisheries, Aquaculture and Maritime Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies sent the bill that creates the National Institute of Sustainable Development of Artisanal Fisheries and Small Scale Aquaculture (Indespa) on Wednesday.
The initiative, which aims to be the engine for the development of artisanal fisheries and small-scale aquaculture in Chile, will have a budget of CLP 25 billion (USD 352 million).
The project mainly considers the creation of an institution with national coverage that through regional offices may help improve the productive capacity of small-scale fishing and -for the first time- of small-scale aquaculture. In addition, it will include technical assistance and training to the beneficiaries throughout the country, financing non-refundable contributions (through open competition), as well as those designed to address disaster situations.
“We are creating a new institutional framework that we hope will contribute to the development of artisanal fishing and small-scale aquaculture in elements such as productive strengthening and diversification,” said the Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Raul Sunico.
“It is a deeply felt yearning that we hope will become law during the first half of next year,” he added.
The governmental authority also highlighted the parliamentary work, and said that after months of intense debate, “the project comes with significant improvements from the House of Representatives thanks to the work and contribution made by all members of the Fisheries Committee”.
In that vein, it should be noted that the Executive took into account a series of indications of parliamentarians, including the establishment of Indespa Regional Advisory Councils, whose main function will be to deliver proposals for the formulation of programs at local level, considering the territoriality and specificity of each region.
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