The Chilean salmon aquaculture industry has shown impressive development in terms of production growth . From the mid-1980s , the production has increased to almost 900,000 mt in 2019 . The Chilean government conceived of raising artisanal fishers out of poverty by allowing them to catch fish of higher value, an objective that to a large extent has been met. As a result of the salmon farming industry’s advent and the economic activity it created, southern Chile experienced a significant transformation . For example, the Los Lagos region was transformed from forestry, agricultural, and livestock to mainly aquacultural.
However, despite having created employment at the local level, the industry is often controversial and not particularly welcome in the localities where it operates. There is a widespread opinion that local communities have remained relatively excluded from the economic benefits associated with the industry. For instance, labor unions complain about unfair treatment, hiring contracts lacking adequate social security protection, lacking social services and on-the-job training, and more. Local communities speak about low corporate social responsibilities and scarce company involvement in community and municipal affairs.
In this paper, we will discuss the economic impacts that the salmon industry delivered in southern Chile. The focus is primarily on socio-economic impacts such as employment (including the massive inclusion of women in the workforce), poverty reduction in rural areas, impact in income levels and income inequality, and the creation of educational and research institutions as well as other public services .