The Forgotten Fish of Chile

Chile relies heavily on its fisheries for economic growth and local livelihoods, as well as affordable and nutritious food. Scientists, fisheries managers and fishers themselves know little about the sierra’s abundance and migration patterns. That lack of data has made it impossible to develop effective management plans, making sierra vulnerable to overfishing and putting the economies of coastal communities at risk as the Pacific’s waters warm. Now, fishers, conservationists and fisheries managers are working together in the region to gather reliable data that can guide effective management of Sierra stocks — ensuring that future generations can continue to benefit from a staple fish that’s cooked daily in many households up and down the Chilean coast.