About 1,100 fishermen boarded buses in the Bío Bío region to take the long trip to march in the center of Santiago.
Fishermen from Bío Bío feel that their livelihood is being threatened by new fishing laws. Photo: redfive
BÍO BÍO — The buses began heading out yesterday on Route 5 towards Santiago and should arrive tomorrow. The fishermen are marching against the Ley de Pesca, also known as the Ley Longuiera.
The Senate has approved many of the motions of the law, which local fishermen say threaten their livelihood. So, many have gathered to march on La Moneda in protest. They plan to formally submit a petition to the government demanding that the current text of the law be revised to take their grievances into consideration.
The march includes fishermen from Coronel, Talcahuano, Tumbes, and San Vicente.
“We are going to go directly to La Moneda, since the Senate has done nothing after we lobbied against the law. Now is the time to talk directly to the government,” said march organizer Marta Espinoza.
Some of the main reasons the fishermen will be protesting is the regionalization of fishing registrations, the prohibition of fishing within the first nautical mile of the coast, and the installation of satellites on board boats.
As the public’s reaction to the new law escalated, fishermen from all around the country initiated the campaign Yo Pesco, which rapidly involved more than 87,000 people through the social networks. Its main objective is to put pressure on the Senate by letting people directly express their opinion via Twitter and Facebook. Moreover, it is an appeal to the public to learn more about how the fishing industry is administered in Chile.
One of the official videos of the campaign gathers famous Chilean actors and celebrities in order to clarify their stance against the Ley Longueira.