Chile, 18.01.2023The Committee of Ministers (1) - Government President Gabriel Boric - unanimously rejected the controversial Dominga mining and port project on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.
Santiago, Landau 3rd January 2023. Environment, Health, Undersecretariat of Fisheries, CONAF, Directorate General of Water and the Agriculture and Livestock Service have now outlined their concerns about the mining and port project.The comments are necessary for the Committee of Ministers to vote on whether to approve or reject Andes Iron's plans.
Landau 1 January 2023.
From the end of November to the end of December, Ursula Ellenberg (New Zealand) and Maximiliano Deigre (Chile) investigated the foraging of Humboldt penguins on the island of Choros, northern Chile, using GPS loggers and animal cameras. They collected numerous data on the penguins' foraging paths, which differ significantly from the data from the (southern) winter.
Landau, 6 December 2022
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+++Course for divers+++
Between 17 and 21 October, a training course on accident prevention and treatment for diving assistants, mussel divers and boat personnel of the Humboldt Archipelago took place in the bays of Chañaral de Aceituno, Punta de Choros and Chungungo. The course was funded by the Frankfurt Zoo (see projects Chile, "Accident Prevention and Treatment")
Landau, 27th October 2022
In 2022, teams led by Chilean researchers Dr Alejandro Simeone and Dr Guillermo Luna and New Zealand researcher Dr Thomas Mattern were commissioned by SPHENISCO to study diving and feeding ecology of Humboldt penguins during the breeding season on Choros Island in northern Chile. The research project has been and will continue to be funded by Dresden Zoo, the Friends of Hagenbeck Zoo, Hamburg and the Species Protection Foundation Karlsruhe Zoo.
Landau, 7 October 2022
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+++Appeal to experts and specialists+++
On 11 August, the Consejo consultivo (Advisory Council) of the Humboldt Penguin National Protected Area (RNPH) and the Choros-Damas Marine Reserve (Reserva Marina Choros-Damas) met (1). At the meeting, Rodrigo Flores, chair of the panel, read out an open letter written by Alianza Humboldt Coquimbo-Atacama (1). In it, the Alliance appeals to all evaluators and experts involved in the evaluation process to work towards a proper and professional evaluation of the mining and port projects. The open letter once again lists the technical errors, contradictions and inconsistencies and names the political pressure on institutions such as Sernapesca, Subpesca and the Ministry of the Environment in favour of the owners.
The article "Tribunal Ambiental admite acción que busca anular calificación favorable del proyecto Dominga" – was published in the Chilean monthly El Ciudadano, based in Recoleta, Santiago.
Santiago, October 2022
The First Court for Environmental Issues of Antofagasta, Northern Chile, has allowed an action for annulment, the aim of which is to invalidate the decision by which the SEA (Environmental Impact Assessment Service) classified the controversial Dominga Mining and Port Project as environmentally-friendly. The citizen was entitled to file a lawsuit, because she had submitted comments during the environmental impact assessment procedure. She wants to prove that the procedure of the Regional Evaluation Commission (COEVA) is ineffective or illegal.
Landau, 4 August 2022
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+++Research for Survival+++
After the fact-finding study into the population and breeding success of the Humboldt penguins, research on their search for food on the island of Choros was also carried out in June (see research impressions 1st and 2nd part on this page).
Landau, June 3, 2022
C H I L E
+++Meeting with the Minister of Environment+++
In the middle of April Nancy Duman and Karen Quezada met the new Minister of Environment of the Coquimbo Region Leonardo Gros Pérez to talk about the marine protected area (AMCP-MU) and other current projects. The Ministry is presently waiting for the Atacama region to prepare all the documents for a joint application as "biregional marine protected area". After completion of the preparations, a joint effort will be made to enforce the protection zone. Señor Leonardo Gros Pérez. agreed to organize and execute the scientific meeting on the situation of the Humboldt Archipelago, which is scheduled for October together with SPHENISCO. Moreover, the proposed environmental education in the schools of the municipality of La Higuera will also be supported by the Ministry, possibly through certification. The Humboldt penguin is an emblematic species for Chile, but specifically for the Coquimbo region and should be given more priority. It was considered to create a day of the Humboldt Penguin and to organize it accordingly.