Biological ban on the cholga is suspended in the Los Lagos Region

The Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism suspended the biological closure of the cholga (mussel) resource in the maritime area of the Los Lagos Region between October 1 and October 15, 2026, both dates inclusive. The decision is contained in exempt decree No. 202600166 and was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Section I, with the official reference CVE 2882189.

The notice disseminated by the agency is an extract of the decree, which appears in the Laws, Regulations, Decrees and General Order Resolutions section of issue No. 44,569, on page 1. The instrument was signed in Valparaíso on September 29, 2026, by Osvaldo Urrutia Silva, Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture, reporting to the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism.

The suspension is issued by exempt decree, the method used by the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture for fisheries management measures with limited validity. The published text specifies that the full content of the decree will be published on the electronic domain sites of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service.

Scope of the measure

• Affected resource: cholga.
• Measure: suspension of the biological closure.
• Area: the maritime area of the Los Lagos Region.
• Validity: between October 1 and October 15, 2026, both dates inclusive.

The official instrument

• Regulation: exempt decree No. 202600166.
• Issuing body: Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, through the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
• Signature: Valparaíso, September 29, 2026.
• Signatory: Osvaldo Urrutia Silva, Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
• Publication: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,569, Thursday, October 8, 2026, Section I, p. 1.
• Official reference: CVE 2882189.

Dissemination of the full text

The extract published in the Official Gazette indicates that the full text of the decree will be published on the electronic domain sites of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, so that interested parties may consult the details of the measure and its conditions there.

The publication does not include additional conditions, processing deadlines, or technical annexes in the extract: the notice is limited to establishing the resource, the maritime area, and the suspension period. Any precision regarding the operational scope of the measure must be sought in the full text that both services will make available on their electronic sites.

The suspension is in effect during the first fortnight of October 2026 and covers the entire maritime area of the Los Lagos Region, the territory where the extractive activity of this resource is concentrated. For artisanal fishers and organizations in the area, exempt decree No. 202600166 enables a limited period of fifteen days within the biological closure calendar; therefore, it is advisable to verify the applicable conditions through the official channels of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service before resuming operations.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,569, Thursday, October 8, 2026, Section I, p. 1 (official reference: CVE 2882189).