Abstract

Coastal areas in southern Chile face growing socio-territorial conflicts arising from fragmented regulations, weak citizen participation, and overlapping interests among corporations, Indigenous peoples, artisanal fishers, and the state. This article analyzes community perceptions of coastal issues in two southern Chilean localities, identifying territorial differences and associated sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a survey administered to 356 participants in Contao (n = 108) and Carelmapu (n = 248), both located in the Los Lagos Region. A coastal issues perception scale was used, comprising 23 items organized into four dimensions: socio-environmental, territorial governance, economic development, and territorial conflicts. Non-parametric tests were conducted to compare groups and analyze associations. Carelmapu participants showed significantly more critical perceptions on the total scale (75.51 vs. 72.29; p = 0.007), territorial governance (23.10 vs. 20.10; p < 0.001), and territorial conflicts (12.37 vs. 10.85; p < 0.001). Territorial conflicts emerged as the most problematic dimension (Z = +1.27), followed by socio-environmental aspects (Z = +0.50). In Contao, Indigenous affiliation and organizational participation were associated with more critical perceptions, whereas in Carelmapu a more complex pattern was observed, influenced by occupation, age, and territorial attachment variables. Perceptions of coastal issues exhibit territorially differentiated patterns that reflect various social contexts and historical trajectories. The findings underscore the need for territorially sensitive governance approaches that recognize local specificities, particularly in the context of implementing Coastal Marine Areas for Indigenous Peoples (ECMPO in its Spanish acronym).