There is no doubt that rebuilding shattered fishing industry is a long job and Chile is determined to do it. Two weeks ago sever earthquake hit Chile and destroy nearly every thing in the country. Hundreds of fishing boats – from large trawlers to inshore vessels –
were smashed and many fishing port put out of action by the tsunami that hit the coastline following the ‘quake. The damage to fishing is already is lost business is already thought to total more than £70-million.
The earthquake was so devastating that many fishermen have lost their livelihood because their boats have been put out of action – and at a time when the new fishing season was about to get underway for much of the country. Such was the force of the tidal waves that some boats were found up to two miles inland. The vessels were damaged to such an extent that it will take several months to repair and get the fishing piers back into working order.
Experts said that this is the second blow to hit Chile’s seafood industry in the past 12 months. Salmon farming is already reeling from the outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia which has effectively wiped out large parts of the business. It is expected that 2010 will the worst year in the industry’s history. They forecast that up to 5,000 workers – 25 per cent of the current workforce – will lose their jobs in the next few months on top of the 10,000 jobs that have already gone.
