Consequences of the "Chilean miracle"
Written by: Raúl Zibechi - Argenpress
image: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UMO1maPyH1o/R9nQO28J5xI/AAAAAAAAAQY/3BV-YGnA_zE / s400/salmoneras +018. JPG The so-called "Chilean miracle" is based on three pillars: the high price of copper, pulp production driven by the Pinochet dictatorship, and salmon industry, expanded in full democracy. But overfishing has caused a serious health crisis, environmental, social and económica.Poco over thousand kilometers south of Santiago, from Puerto Montt and then a boat crossing the Canal de Chacao, appears the fantastic island of Chiloé, where vast plains and rolling hills are competing for the various shades of green sprouts due to heavy rains Southern. Symphony In spring green is dotted with numerous wild flowers, yellow, purple and red, while in the hills stand myrtle, oak, hazel and pangues.Estos forests each year on the 2,500 mm of rain fall, are lined with ferns and mosses, along with native trees form an almost eerie atmosphere. The rich biodiversity of the island and the existence of animal and plant species, impressed Charles Darwin in the nineteenth century, who believed that the potato originated in Chiloé. Even though he showed that originated in southern Peru, on the island are kept 400 varieties of potatoes, from which they have obtained most of which today are consumed in the island mundo.Pero isolation not only allowed the birth and holding an impressive diversity of life, including the horse chilote He notes, of only 1.25 meters high, and the Pudu, the world's smallest deer. Also made it possible to keep their money chilotas language, crafts, fishing craft and a unique architecture that uses wood shingles. The churches, inspired by Bavaria, and the stilt houses, indicating that the traditions lasted longer than in other sitios.Este paradise nestled in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, is one of the five most productive marine areas of the planet. "Although it has less than 1% of the surface of the oceans, their capture fisheries account for 25% of total world landings," said the environmental report Ecoceanos1.
productivity could not fail to attract entrepreneurs from around the world, whose investments juicy ganancias.Unos promised 15 years ago, the island of Chiloé and Puerto Montt area met vigorous growth of aquaculture, and a very special way of producing salmon. The substantial business investments in Northern Europe and Japan made the salmon in Chile grew at a rate of 15% per year, or 13 times in 15 years. Chile exported to the U.S., Japan and the European Union some 2,500 million in salmon. Thus, the salmon is in addition to copper and cellulose explaining 70% of export growth of the "Chilean miracle" 2.Chile has become the fifth country in the world landings of marine products, seventh largest exporter of fishery resources and the second largest exporter of farmed salmon after Norway. The reason for this impressive growth is one: is the country with lower production costs of farmed heel AquilesEl world.The March 27, 2008 The New York Times published an article entitled "Salmon Virus betrays fishing methods in Chile" 3 . The scandal was higher. The article attracted the attention of millions of salmon were dying by the ISA virus (ISA) and the health crisis had resulted in the dismissal of thousands of workers. "The breeding of salmon in crowded underwater pens is contaminating that some once-pristine waters and producing potentially unhealthy fish, "added the report. Professor Felipe Cabello, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of New York, noted "lack of sanitary control" and explaining that parasitic infections, viral and fungal infections "are transmitted when fish are stressed and the centers close to each other." Also in Chile claimed that high levels of antibiotics used in fish, some of them banned in the Unidos.Si you consider that 30% of Chilean salmon exports go to the United States, the denunciation of the Times was very heavy. The Norwegian company Marine Harvest, the largest producer of farmed salmon in the world, which exports 20% of Chilean salmon, acknowledged it was in their crops which emerged the ISA and the high use of antibiotics in Chile. "Biologists and environmentalists say that the salmon feces and pellet are destroying the water of oxygen, killing other marine life and spreading disease," noted the article.The is striking is the response of the world's largest company before observation of environmental and health problems it has caused. "As you have been doing a lot of money and everything went well, there was no reason to adopt more stringent measures," said Arne Hjeltnes, a spokesman for Marine Harvest in Oslo4.En 2005, the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) had issued a report strongly criticizing the Chilean salmon industry, for the escape one million fish per year, the use of fungicides such as malachite green is a carcinogen banned since 2002 and the excessive use of antibiotics. Dr. Cabello estimated that Chile uses between 70 and 300 times more antibiotics than Norway, and that there exists a black market in antibiotics to salmón5.En the following days the government of Michelle Bachelet supported the salmon industry, worried about climate business and a possible fall in exportaciones6. Nevertheless, production fell by between 30 and 50%, 20 000 workers were laid off (from a total of 50 000), the industry entered a crisis as it is indebted to the bank that started to demand repayment of debt, which is impossible precisely because of the fall of the producción.Sin But all that has happened in the past two years (the ISA virus was discovered in July 2007), had been anticipated by several studies and research. lower costs worldthe first explanation of the low cost of salmon production in Chile are the poor working conditions of 50 thousand employees in the sector. The salmon has the highest accident rates in the country and found that between February 2005 and June 2007, 42 workers have died or disappeared at sea according to the Navy and the National Directorate of Labour. Between 2003 and 2005 there were 572 previously scheduled inspections, and yet in fines in 70% of the main problems are casos7.Los hygiene and safety, both on farms (huge underwater cages) and in processing plants. Two thirds of the salmon companies violate labor laws, to be in high informality outsourcing of many functions, especially the most dangerous. Women, who make up 70% of workers in the sector and 90% in plants suffering from the cold, damp, overcrowded and obstacles to go to the bathroom. These practices have also been detected in pregnant women, some of which have been despedidas.Los divers perform the work riskier. Of the 4 000 divers working in 2007, only 100 had been certified as training internacionales8 standards.
Outsourcing and the difficulties brought by the employers have made only 13 and 15% of the workers of the salmon are members sindicatos.No only workers present their grievances. So do the tourist entrepreneurs and fishermen. Until 2005 it had granted nearly 5,000 acres to the salmon companies (only Norway's Marine Harvest had 1,215 hectares) at the edges of lakes, fjords, channels and estuaries. Or, in the same places that tourists come and where the fish are comunidades.Las pollution complaints and mass escapes of salmon (in 2004 there were two million), contributing to the spread of contagious diseases to other species and humans, and threaten the survival of wild species . But is the massive use of antibiotics as worrying and escandaloso.El Dr. Cabello argues that the use of antibiotics in fish farming may encourage bacterial resistance, resulting in the generation of resistant strains affecting humans and peces9. Japan and the United States on several occasions been detected residues of antibiotics in Chilean salmon. One purpose of the use of antibiotics is to control the septicemia salmonid, for what they use quinolones as bacterial resistance to these substances is increasing alarmingly in the world.In the seminar organized by Ecoceanos in March 2007 in Puerto Montt, the Director of the School of Chemistry and Pharmacy of the Universidad Austral presented convincing evidence of increased bacterial resistance in hospitals in Puerto Montt and Castro (Chiloe). In the first city, between 1999 and 2003 the resistance to ciprofloxacin increased from 2.6 to 9% and Castro from 4.4 to 8.3% of the salmon 10.La decision to reduce costs and work to maximum capacity, has led to "a modest contribution to scientific research, very high concentrations salmonid fish farms, the indiscriminate and non-rotation of antiparasitic drugs like amemectina benzoate and antibiotics, together with non-compliance with basic aspects of environmental management and health "11.
Other serious environmental problems related Network with workshops and dumping. In the Aysen region, southernmost to Chiloé, Chile's environmental authorities fined 100% of the salmon Network workshops in 2005, and in the region of Los Lagos (which belongs Puerto Montt), fined more than 50% by sea of \u200b\u200bliquid waste treatment industry. In 2006 none of the industrial wastelands of Los Lagos met rules that led to their being closed 30 of the 49 existentes.Juan Carlos Cardenas, a veterinarian and director of Ecoceanos, argues that "European multinationals in Chile that are not allowed to do in their countries." 12 Cree to the south of Chile is one of the last areas of expansion of multinationals, fishing, mining and forestry. The area of \u200b\u200bPuerto Montt and Chiloé has a comparative advantage over Northern Europe because the waters are less cold and therefore salmon productivity is higher. Concentration is the big problem that caused pollution, "Here we have 600 kilometers by 300 farms with 120 million fish, which produce the same amount in thousand kilometers in Norway, "explains Cárdenas.Los salmon grow in circular cages of 30 meters by 60 deep. The intensive culture of salmon exports was 190 million dollars in 1991 to 2,400 million in 2008. The prices are unbeatable : Chile produces salmon at $ 2.9 per kilo on the international market while the price is 7.9 dollars. "But here in Chile a kilo in the supermarket sells for $ 10 more expensive than in New York," says Cárdenas.Ahora that the region of Puerto Montt and Chiloé are contaminated salmon companies looking to expand south into the region of Aysen and Magallanes. But pollution remains the same steps the point has already been detected in these regions ISA virus, indicating that spread 2,000 km in ten months, according to Cardenas. He adds that "none of this would have happened if the state is absent and there were no high levels of corruption." This seems obvious using just one statistic: according to the company Marine Harvest, in its latest annual report, in 2007 used 0 , 02 grams of antibiotics per tonne of salmon produced in Norway. For the same year used 732 grams per ton in Chile. In 2008 the figures are 0.07 in Norway and 560 grams in Chile13. That is 36 000 times in 2007 and 8 000 times in 2008 at its plants in Chile, but no authority to formulate preguntas.En Last July, the government declassified a 2008 report at the request of the organization Oceana, noting that the Chilean salmon industry used 325 tons of drugs while Norway, the world market leader used only one ton. The report says that nearly 40% of antibiotics belonging to the quinolone, a drug banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States.14.
Dr. Cabello says it is shown that the ISA virus was probably introduced to Chile from Norway in 1996, and its dissemination "was probably provided by the large populations of virus generated by harmful conditions health present in the breeding of salmon in Chile. "15 From the biological point of view what happened in Chile compared with swine influenza and privatization of the sea avícola.La" We are transforming the commons into financial capital, "said Lucio Basin Latin American Centre for Conflict Ambientales16. This has been doing for years with the full blessing of the authorities. An example: In April 2007 the House of Representatives voted on a report of the Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture and Natural Resources in which he argued the Chilean salmon industry "works with global standards (including environmental) of high standards, as determined by modern markets we reach. "The report scored 67 votes in favor, one against and one abstention. Three months after declaring the ISA virus epidemic, although there are many who claim that had been hiding for some time. In any case, the omission of the Chilean parliament is evidente.Recientemente there was an evident fact that all these problems. Felipe Sandoval was undersecretary of the Ministry of Fisheries under the government of Ricardo Lagos (2000-2006), a position from which promoted the privatization state fishing industry. He currently serves as executive secretary of the Salmon and Aquaculture Cluster, which brings together the business community and the state to reposition the industry salmon, acting as a representative of President Michelle Bachelet salmoneros.El Matters February 5, 2009 the Comptroller of Valparaiso Sandoval accused of having inflicted the principle of administrative probity to have used $ 740,000 of the state with false or utility bills tampered with while he was Secretary of Fisheries. The indictment of the agency comptroller occurred while debating a new Fisheries and Aquaculture Act drafted to suit employers.
Bachelet's government issued a decree July 21 supreme which acquitted Sandoval on charges, arguing that its liability is extinguished by the time transcurrido.Según report of Ecoceanos News August 3, from his post Sandoval has managed loans $ 450 million for the salmon industry, which have 60% of Chileans support of taxpayers. This is a case in which the state plays in favor of the industry despite its inability to perform demonstrated compliance with labor laws, environmental and sanitaria.La Fisheries Act seeking recovery of the salmon industry through the perpetual assignment rights over maritime territory empresas17. According to Economy Minister Hugo Lavados, the law allows the "right of use and enjoyment" of marine and coastal area by the companies, thereby appropriating a mortgaged property, subject decisive for the banks to grant loans and refinance debt. Juan Carlos Cardenas contends that Articles 81 and 81 bis allow "enterprises to mortgage debtors salmon national property for public use, such as aquaculture concessions, with creditor banks."
presidential candidate in December elections, Senator Marco Enríquez-Ominami, like other lawmakers, says the law "to deliver the sea privatized companies salmon aquaculture concessions and mortgaged in perpetuity" by what is considered "unconstitutional." 18 In late July, the Senate filed 160 comments to the Fisheries Act that environmentalists have excited opposition did not expect so important. "What happened in the Senate is an important step against the unconstitutional, impunity and the attempted theft of our national assets public," said Cárdenas.Entre Therefore, there are those who do business in crisis salmon. Marine Harvest announced that despite the losses it is having in Chile, is preparing to buy Chilean salmon as part of the restructuring of the industry, since every crisis offers "opportunities" (purchases, sales, mergers) as recognized by Jorgen Andersen Chief Financial empresa19.En as Chile has signed FTAs \u200b\u200bwith 24 countries and the elites are proposed, in the words of Lucio Cuenca, "a strategic actions that will lead to food becoming a power, it appears that salmon farms continue to grow.
southernmost regions, are moving to where employers can look in the mirror of Chiloé. 15 ago years the island was a society of small farmers, herders, fisherfolk and shellfish. "We are workers dependent on transnational industry," write Ecoceanos members. "Unless," Lucio added that the ongoing process of political promoted by dozens of small struggles against mining pollution, salmon and cellulose, which managed to put issues strategic as water on the public agenda, to grow up to launch a social movement. "criticism heard in the Senate, largely reflect the new politicization of the Chilean society.
Notes: 1) "Radiography of the salmon industry in Chile", op cit p. 5.2) Idem.3) Barrionuevo, Alexei, "Salmon Virus Indicts Chile's Fishing Methods," The New York Times, March 27, 2008.4) Idem 5) Idem.6) Reuters, April 2, 20087) "x ..." ob cit p. 10.8) Idem, p. 14.9) Felipe C. Cabello, Heavy use of Antibiotics in acquaculture prophilactic: a growing problem for human and animal health and for the environment ", Environmental Microbiology, 2006, quoted in" x ", p. 28.10) Idem, p. 30.11) Idem.12) Interview personal.13)" Marine Harvest Sustainability Report 2008 ", p. 16, www.marineharvest.com.14) Sergio Román Jara, ob cit.15) Felipe Cabello, ob cit.16) Interview personal.17) Xinhua News Agency, July 31, 2009.18) Ecoceanos News, August 5, 2009.19) The Third , July 15, 2009 in www.latercera.cl
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