Last year, members of CCN shared information on salmon farming in Scotland with environmentalists from Argentina and Chile, to help in their fight against the industry in the Beagle Channel. Sin Azul No Hay Verde are now able to share their journey and their successes via a new documentary, and have shared this update.
The documentary Contracorriente, which means “against the current/tide” has been produced by Sin Azul No Hay Verde, the marine program of Rewilding Argentina with the support of Patagonia Inc. and the collaboration of other NGOs such as Greenpeace and FARN (Fundación AMbiente y Recursos Naturales), and the national and provincial scientific research institutes CONICET (Consejo Nacional de investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas) and CADIC (Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas).
This short film follows three divers through the possible points where the salmon cages would be installed and shows the efforts put by the chilean and argentine residents of Tierra del Fuego to stop the industry.
Most of the documentaries are filmed once the damage is done, in this case, there is still a chance to defend the pristine waters of Tierra del Fuego, still the opportunity to show the community what could be lost forever and what would be at risk if the the salmon farming industry is installed in the pristine waters of the Beagle Channel.
Thanks to information, testimonies and visual material from other parts of the world where the salmon farms are working, such as in Scotland, they were able to show the true and ugly face of the industry.
Stopping the Salmon Farming industry
Over the last 3 years we have focused on convincing local authorities and Tierra del Fuego’s citizens that salmon farming does not mean progress. To achieve this we involved the community in the process of understanding what would mean to have salmon farms in the Beagle Channel. We invited chefs and influential voices to be part of the communication on a national level.
We also developed an economic analysis comparing the salmon farming industry to other industries and activities, such as nature tourism, which is the source of employment for thousands of families, and that would be compromised by the salmon farming project. This research was carried out by a group of academics from the local university and was recently published.
We have also worked hard on showing the biodiversity and the true value of the Beagle Channel that could be lost forever if the cages were installed. We created alliances with other NGOs in Chile and Argentina, and we invited Chileans to share their experiences, not only to locals but also to the decision makers at the legislature.
As a result, the actual vice governor, Monica Urquiza, was part of the documentary and while she was in office in the legislature, she presented the bill to ban the industry. The documentary was declared of provincial interest and at the end of last year, the treatment of the bill finally kicked off with the participation of local and chilean NGOs, academics, and Sin Azul No Hay Verde.
As a part of another project we are working on, the creation of the Provincial Park Peninsula Mitre, we have started a series of research explorations with different biologists and ecologists that will bring light to the incredible marine ecosystem. When the legislature resumes it’s activities in March, we hope to continue where we left of in December and to work towards showing the need of safeguarding the Beagle Channel.
Watch the full film, with English subtitles, here!
Tags: Documentary, International, Salmon, Salmon Farm