Chile's Fisheries and Aquaculture Service Sernapesca said an investigation is underway into a violent attack on its office in Atacama in northern Chile, during which Regional Director Guillermo Mery was verbally abused and threatened.
The March 9 incident involved 30-40 masked individuals who descended on the regional office in vans, blocking access before unloading tires, which they set on fire.
It led Sernapesca to file an official complaint.
Sernapesca has asked the regional prosecutor's office to look into the attack and exhaust all avenues so that those responsible are punished.
Following a meeting with the regional prosecutor, acting Sernapesca Director Jessica Fuentes said the agency hopes "the result will be that our officials are able to carry out their public work safely and peacefully as they deserve to."
It's the latest spate of violence to hit the country's aquaculture and fisheries sector. In January, a salmon smolt facility owned by Norway's Cermaq Group was attacked and set fire by armed gunman.
