This article examines a current environmental and political issue surrounding Chiloé, a Chilean island in the south of the country. Suffering from an ecological phenomenon known as the “red tide”, the waters around Chiloé have become subject to “excessive accumulations of algae” resulting in “elevated concentrations of toxins (Rivera, 2016).” A direct threat to the local fishing industry, many local fishermen feel that that the Chilean government hasn’t been proactive enough in finding solutions to solve the red tide problem.
To highlight the local fishermen’s discontent with the government and overall worsening ecological situation, the article includes an interview between Global Voices, a member of the Thinking Chiloé organization, and a member of the Ocean for Everyone organization. Both members are Chilean and are vinculated in the local Chiloé society. Basically, both Chileans suggest that the root of the ecological and environmental problems facing Chiloé stem from the Chilean government. The Chilean government is to blame because they are the ones who introduced the massive salmon industry into the region 40 years prior, leading to massive pollution and overfishing in the area. This interview serves as a great source for evidence because it includes two local Chiloé perspectives that are in tune with the Chiloé fishing community. In other words, this interview provides an authentic perspective of the environmental problem that would otherwise go unnoticed by major media coverage.
Image from Chiloé https://es.globalvoices.org/2016/05/04/emergencia-ecologica-en-la-isla-chilena-de-chiloe-lleva-a-pescadores-artesanales-a-tomarse-las-calles/
There are many implications the article makes by giving the local Chiloé society a voice in its struggle to get resources from the government. For one, it shows that major media coverage is extremely biased to sensational topics and does not always offer authentic coverage on local matters. On the other hand, the article suggests that local grievances can be addressed properly and handled correctly when these grievances are expressed peacefully and respectfully. This is shown by the deal made by the Chilean government and local fishing community 3 weeks after this article was published to improve the situation.
Sources:
Rivera, Elizabeth. “Chiloé Fishermen to the World: ‘Communities Must Unite!’ · Global Voices.” Global Voices, 23 May 2016, globalvoices.org/2016/05/23/chiloe-fishermen-to-the-world-communities-must-unite/.