The Fuegian Legislature will consider a bill seeking to allow the use of salmon farms.

The Legislature of Tierra del Fuego is moving forward with the consideration of a bill to amend Provincial Law No. 1,355, which since 2021 has prohibited intensive salmon farming in the province's waters.

The new report proposes allowing the activity in lakes, lagoons, rivers, and in the Argentine Sea, off the coast ofRío Grande, while maintaining the restriction solely in the Beagle Channel.

The initiative was debated on August 8 in a joint session of Committees No. 1 and No. 3, in Río Grande. After a recess, a group of legislators resumed the meeting and signed the favorable report.

The signatories include Myriam Noemí Martínez (Forja), Agustín Pedro Coto(La Libertad Avanza),  Juan Carlos Pino (Partido Justicialista) and Gisela Dos Santos (Sumemos Tolhuin). The text doesn't yet have a date for final consideration.

The bill proposes  "to promote the sustainable development of continental and maritime aquaculture in the province, considering the triple approach—environmental, social, and economic—under the main and non-negotiable premise of environmental protection". With this wording, the proponents argue that the activity can be carried out under technical parameters that prevent negative impacts and, at the same time, strengthen the local economy.

In section 3, the report keeps the prohibition of salmon farming in the Beagle Channel"in order to ensure the comprehensive protection and preservation of this unique coastal ecosystem, for the maintenance of its marine biodiversity and current uses".

However, it authorizes farming in other bodies of water, where "the enforcement authority will guarantee the current tasks of broodstock protection and fish restocking, in accordance with the sustainability parameters of each water resource".

Supporters of the reform argue that allowing the installation of salmon farms in suitable areas of the province represents an opportunity to diversify the productive matrix, attract investment, and generate direct and indirect employment in local communities.

They argue that current technology and production standards make it possible to develop the activity without compromising the environment, while also reducing logistics costs compared to imports and strengthening food sovereignty.

If the amendment is approved, Tierra del Fuego will once again apply state-of-the-art aquaculture technology for salmon farming, incorporating modern practices that optimize production and ensure quality and sustainability standards.