Salmones del Atlántico en la isla de Chiloé: lucha de los mapuches williche por la conservación de sus ecosistemas únicos en el siglo XXIAtlantic Salmon on the Island of Chiloé: The Fight of the Mapuche Williche To Preserve their Unique Ecosystems in the 21st Century.

Abstract

The salmon industry has been highlighted by the Mapuche Williche peoples of the Chiloé archipelago as a threat to their traditional economy, to the biodiversity of the islands they inhabit, and to their customary and community access to water, recognised as an essential element for subsistence and for their worldviews. This rejection has been supported by artisanal fishermen, seaweed harvesters and seafood gatherers, as well as by the scientific community and environmental organisations. The main companies whose Atlantic salmon farms are located in Chiloé are transnationals, establishing a global relationship with this island and originating an international conflict with the communities that are inevitably harmed in terms of identity, economics, and spirituality. This paper will present the mobilization methods of the main Williche organisations against the appropriation of coastal maritime spaces in the interior sea of Chiloé.