The company’s president reviewed the situation the sector has experienced due to numerous regulatory changes that Industrial Fishing has undergone and is facing, and called for “breaking the inertia” to unleash the potential of the activity as a driver of regional development.

Concepción, October 2025. Blumar actively participated in a new edition of the Regional Business Meeting (Erede 2025), organized by Irade, an instance that brought together authorities, businesspeople and representatives from different productive sectors to reflect on the challenges of investment and growth in the Biobío Region.

Blumar’s president, Rodrigo Sarquis, was part of the panel “How to invest and grow,” alongside Rafael Lira, Strategy and Market Development Manager at Mercado Libre, and Iván Chamorro, Vice President of Arauco’s Forest and Cellulose business. In his intervention, Sarquis called for recovering dialogue and public-private collaboration as a driver of regional development.

In his presentation, Sarquis reviewed the company’s history, which was born in Talcahuano 77 years ago and today represents the work of three generations committed to the country’s development and have managed to build a publicly listed company with shareholders such as pension funds, small-cap funds and the general public. “Blumar was born in Talcahuano in 1948. Since then, three generations have dedicated ourselves to its development, creating value for Chile by doing business”, he highlighted.

Blumar’s president underscored the role that Industrial Fishing can play as a driver of employment and local development, especially in the face of persistent unemployment affecting the region. “We have unemployment reaching 9.9% in Biobío, and as Industrial Fishing we can be part of the solution. Our sector provides 6,500 direct jobs—50% of them held by women—and 372 SMEs directly linked,” he stated.

Sarquis highlighted the region’s unique maritime wealth and the value of jack mackerel as a strategic resource: “We have enormous maritime wealth: the Pacific Ocean, the Humboldt Current, and the ORP, an organization that brings together Chile with 15 other countries in the governance of jack mackerel, which is a super food, healthy, with enormous nutritional benefits”, emphasizing the Biobío’s potential to position itself as the world capital of this resource.

However, he warned that the current scenario of legal and regulatory uncertainty is slowing the sector’s growth.

“Today we are surviving instead of developing. There are approximately US$ 100 million in fishing investments halted by changes in the rules of the game”, said Sarquis, adding that “we have been growing at 2% for a decade. Yes, we can break that inertia. Yes, we can change things and yes, we can grow again”.

Among current challenges, Blumar’s president referred to the effects of the recent Subdivision Law: “This law removes 200,000 tons of jack mackerel from the industrial sector with an estimated impact of 20% of companies’ value. Furthermore, it imposes an additional 30% rate for quota transfers that affects not only existing agreements but also burdens the future of this industry”, he explained.

During his intervention, the industry leader also highlighted that the approval in the Fishing Commission of the Chamber of Deputies of auctions would only affect jack mackerel: the heart of the Biobío’s fishing industry. “That is, it incomprehensibly excludes industrial fishing from the north and southern austral regions. If something is good, as they say, I wonder why it isn’t for anyone else, why it isn’t for the north and southern austral, for artisanal fishermen and other sectors of the economy”, he emphasized.

Finally, Sarquis argued that Chile has everything to become a world-class fishing powerhouse, as long as there is a country vision and a regulatory framework that promotes long-term investment.

“Can the Biobío be the world capital of jack mackerel? Of course. But that requires a law that encourages investment and does not weaken the usage rights granted by the State”, he concluded. In this context, Sarquis showed optimism regarding the next electoral cycle: “The good news is that today, on the eve of an election, we see that all candidates have the will to drive growth and above all to engage in dialogue. That is good news”.

Blumar is a historic partner of Irade, having been part of its Board of Directors in previous years and contributing in various areas. The company has a prominent presence in the Managers, People, Communications, IT and Sustainability circles, the latter currently chaired by Blumar, from where it drives initiatives aimed at strengthening environmental and social management in the Biobío’s productive sector.

With its participation in Erede 2025, Blumar reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development, regional employment and constructive dialogue as the basis for building a future of shared growth for the Biobío and the country.