Posted at 1:00 p.m.
In September, we were contacted by journalists from The Press, who were writing an article about the salmon industry in Chile. We immediately coordinated an interview, in accordance with the policy of transparency that has characterized our association since its creation.
The Chilean Salmon Council is an association of five producing companies — which have extensive experience in the salmon farming sector and represent more than 50% of salmon production in Chile — and whose objective is to develop a competitive, responsible and sustainable industry.
Subsequently, an investigation was published about the salmon industry in Chile, with a negative tone and incomplete information, implying for example irresponsible use of antimicrobials or environmental damage, but otherwise failing to include broader perspectives. We believe that this article does not reflect the current reality of the salmon industry in Chile, as it is based on opinions from sources known to be staunch opponents of the salmon industry.
In Chile, the salmon industry is one of the most advanced in the world, with technologies and innovation to achieve constant improvement and guarantee responsible practices, which translates into the awarding of international certifications in the process sustainable production systems, such as BAP and ASC. This industry was born 40 years ago, in the 1980s, and has since evolved with increasing regulations and supervision.
Today, the companies are controlled and heavily regulated by the Chilean government through SernaPesca (Chile’s National Fisheries Service) — similar to Canada and Norway.
An example of incomplete information that we observed in this article is reflected in information regarding the use of antimicrobials in the salmon industry in Chile. In Chile, it is only allowed to administer antimicrobials to salmon with a recipe established by a veterinarian, after having diagnosed a bacterial pathology. The treatment is carried out for therapeutic purposes only and cannot be used for prophylactic purposes or to promote growth. SernaPesca detects any use of antimicrobials and prohibits the non-therapeutic administration of antimicrobials in salmon farming.
Most antimicrobial therapies are applied in the marine phase of aquaculture to treat fish with piscirickettsiosis, a disease caused by the bacteria Piscirickettsia salmonis, a ubiquitous, naturally occurring bacterium found in much higher levels in Chile than in other countries like Canada and Norway. It is therefore the high concentration of this naturally occurring bacterium that is causing higher use of antimicrobials in Chile, compared to other countries — a cause of stress throughout the salmon industry.
The fact is that the salmon industry would like to completely eliminate the use of antimicrobials, to protect the environment and animal health, and for financial reasons. This industry has worked hard to find a solution to this bacterial problem, by developing new vaccines, among other things, but the challenge is extremely complex. Although progress has been made, non-therapeutic control of piscirickettsiosis remains a challenge. In particular, the intracellular nature of the pathogen and the lack of efficacy of the vaccines developed continue to pose problems that remain to be solved.
Animal health
Furthermore, we cannot ignore that preserving animal health plays an important role in the production process of proteins of animal origin, which is the case of farmed salmon. And complaints that it’s an industry that destroys the marine ecosystem are unfounded, because salmon farming companies are primarily interested in creating a clean and healthy environment for salmon farming.
In Chile, salmon farming has contributed to the economic and social development of many communities in the southern regions, not only by creating jobs for the local population, where the GDP per capita is often less than US$9,000, but also improving the quality of life in communities that are often remote and underdeveloped.
This industry offers nutritious protein to the global market, providing healthy protein to millions of people around the world.
Chile prides itself on producing a high quality, highly nutritious and sustainable protein, salmon, and this industry thrives under extensive regulation, with professional companies, and is recognized by markets such as the United States, the Japan, Brazil and China, among others. Today, Chile is the world’s second largest salmon producer.