Chiloé Fishing Protests
In recent years the coast around Chiloé, the largest island in the Chilean archipelago, has been hit by a natural phenomenon called 'Red Tide'- which is when the sea blooms with an algae that is toxic to fish. In May 2016, the amount of algae was considered catastrophic, triggering a public health emergency. The Government banned all fishing around the island until sea waters were less polluted, however compensation offered to local fishermen- whose livelihoods had essentially disappeared overnight- was minuscule. Community approved protesting ensued which restricted access points to and from the island, and vandalism was caused to any vehicle trying to flee. Islanders placed ominous black flags outside their properties to show solidarity.
Having found myself stranded in the capital Ancud, I decided to document the first day of the protest using google translate as my communicator- thankfully with just a few shouts of 'Gringa' thrown my way. As the days progressed, the protests became more violent and so the British embassy began trying to find us a way off the island. A wonderful Tourist Information representative heroically transported us and another couple off road, past burning cars and beyond the eyes of watchful antagonists whose aim was to keep tourists, and therefore leverage, on the island. Keeping heads down and swapping cars mid journey, we reached the relative safety of an aircraft hanger where we were able to charter a Cessna with other holidaying Chileans. It's by far the most dramatic traveling I've done and, though exciting, it really hammered home the social repercussions of the climate crisis and why we must act now to preserve our planet.