Territorial Use Rights in Chilean Fisheries (Thalassorama‪)‬

Introduction Today, artisanal fisheries management measures in Chile consider the allocation of Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURFs) among fishing communities traditionally exploiting benthonic resources such as Chilean abalone (Concholepas concholepas), sea urchins (Loxechinus albus) and macha clams (Mesodesma donacium), among others. Chilean fisheries legislation, the General Fisheries and Aquaculture Law (GFAL) enacted in 1991, allows the establishment of areas especially reserved for the use of specific artisanal fishing communities, through their legally constituted organizations (e.g., artisanal fishermen's associations and fishermen's cooperatives, among others).