Southern Chile, locals push to protect oceans that have been hurt by intensive salmon farming

In southern Chile, locals in the Guaitecas Archipelago say intensive salmon farming has damaged marine life and are pushing to protect the oceans they depend on. In Melinka, Yesica Fabiana Leviñanco and her partner, Paulo Vera Perez, gather shellfish, sea urchins, mussels and crabs for sale after a few hours at sea. They say catches have rebounded in recent years after they introduced mussels and clams from healthier areas, following years when the sea in the region was described as “dead” due to a salmon-farming facility. The archipelago is a national reserve but hosts salmon farms that discharge chemicals and antibiotics; Sernapesca reports at least 313 authorized farms. Chile is the world’s second-largest salmon producer, with over 1 million tonnes produced in 2025. Critics cite pollution, workplace safety concerns, and impacts on Indigenous communities, and Ecoceanos says 90 workers have died since 2013.