The agreement includes the exchange of scientific and technical information, improvements to monitoring systems, the creation of a permanent technical working group, and the implementation of training programs to strengthen environmental oversight of aquaculture in Chile.
The Superintendency of the Environment (SMA) and the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP) signed a collaboration agreement aimed at strengthening environmental oversight of the aquaculture sector in Chile through the use of high-quality scientific information and the development of joint technical capabilities.
IFOP is a Chilean scientific and technical research institution linked to the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Its role is to support the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture by generating scientific and technical information to inform public policy decisions, particularly through the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SUBPESCA).
The new agreement includes, among its main objectives, the exchange of oceanographic information and data relevant to the environmental management of aquaculture. This will provide updated inputs for evaluating the environmental performance of fish farms and their surrounding areas. It also includes technical support for updating and improving the online connectivity of Salmon Farming Centers (SFCs), as well as the development of new environmental monitoring projects.
The agreement also establishes collaboration on specialized studies and analyses, for example, on harmful algal blooms (HABs) and the evaluation of environmental impacts caused by anthropogenic activities and natural events, both locally and globally.
Another key aspect of the agreement is the creation of a permanent IFOP-SMA technical working group, which will serve as a coordination body for joint initiatives, defining work priorities, and reviewing results.
Finally, the agreement includes the development of training and technical education programs aimed at strengthening the skills of professional and technical teams involved in environmental oversight and marine monitoring.
Superintendent Marie Claude Plumer highlighted the importance of this agreement, stating that “this alliance allows us to strengthen environmental oversight of the aquaculture sector based on technical information and scientific evidence, improving our ability to anticipate risks, focus our oversight efforts, and better protect the country’s marine ecosystems.”
She added that “the work of the SMA together with IFOP will allow us to align criteria, optimize resources, and ensure the continuity of our cooperation efforts.”
For his part, IFOP’s Executive Director, Gonzalo Pereira, emphasized the significance of this agreement because, “on the one hand, it represents recognition of IFOP’s technical capabilities and those of its professionals, and on the other hand, it will allow both institutions to access the valuable information each possesses on aquaculture and marine environmental issues for their institutional purposes.”
Furthermore, the authority emphasized that “for IFOP, access to the data accumulated over the years of the Superintendency’s existence is invaluable, as it will contribute to the research lines developed by the Aquaculture Division.”
Finally, it noted that this agreement complements the network of agreements IFOP has signed with universities and other national public entities on issues related to fishing, aquaculture, and the marine environment.
This agreement builds upon previous work carried out between the SMA and IFOP, such as the development of an environmental inspection manual for Salmon Farming Centers (CES), created in 2021 as part of an initiative funded by the Regional Fund for Triangular Cooperation for Latin America and the Caribbean (GIZ). This manual standardized criteria and tools for the environmental inspection of these centers.
