The National Institute for the Sustainable Development of Artisanal Fisheries and Small Scale Aquaculture, INDESPA, is driving the productive and commercial development of artisanal fishing and small-scale aquaculture, which in recent years has received a new boost with the entry into force of the Regulation for Small-Scale Aquaculture in 2022, which regulates this activity. Nationally, there are nearly 1,200 cultivation centers that seed and harvest oyster, mussel, seaweed seeds, as well as other types of resources such as trout, piure. and algae.
In order to promote the development of this productive activity, INDESPA launched the National Small Scale Aquaculture Fund, Phase I, aimed at small scale aquaculturists and their organizations with active centers in the national register of small scale aquaculture.
The call for applications has a total of 593 million pesos and nearly 40 places, intended for cultivation centers that have not been beneficiaries in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 INDESPA calls. The winning projects will be able to access funds ranging from 8 to 30 million pesos, depending on the type of project and the location of the cultivation on land or at sea.
The national director of INDESPA, Leonardo Llanos Huerta, he specified that "small-scale aquaculture is an important productive alternative for the economic development of coastal communities, to develop in sea and land cultivation of mussels, oysters, piure, fish and seaweed that ensure the supply of marine food and allow them to generate new income with low levels of investment and sustainable with the marine environment. Through this competition with 593 million pesos, "We will support the purchase of equipment, biological inputs, infrastructure or materials for the development of small-scale aquaculture activity," emphasized Llanos.
The call is extended to all regions, except those of Arica and Parinacota, Metropolitan and Los Lagos. Applications are open until June 29 and the competition guidelines are available at www.indespa.cl
