The Fisheries Sustainable Fund (FAP) from Subpesca will invest around US$ 1.5 million for the development of 20 new projects addressing sustainability and technological innovation in 2017. These initiatives are part of the program Te Quiero Caleta from the Chilean Government, supporting the productive development, diversification and sustainability of the small-scale fisheries sector of the country. This year, the actions are aimed at reducing the costs of energy consumption and at improving conditions for the provision of drinking water to the fishing coves of the North, Center and South of the country, fostering local economic management and development.
The priority for the government is to move towards the modernization and development of the coastal fishing areas of the country through this green and alternative investment line that enables the implementation of electricity generation projects through non-conventional renewable sources or efficient cogeneration (photovoltaic, wind or hybrid system). This also includes the improvement of the supply of drinking water in fishing coves with water scarcity problems through the desalinization seawater program (by reverse osmosis).
Another guideline of the Te Quiero Caleta program is the promotion of the consumption of sea resources in the country through the technical assistance of gastronomic initiatives from small-scale fishermen, as well as campaigns of consumption and safeguard of fisheries resources in the country.