Chile, the world’s second largest producer of salmon behind Norway, has seen algae multiply in some of its farms in recent days. This has already resulted in the death of several thousand fish as well as the loss of millions of dollars. The farms concerned are located in the south of the country, in Patagonia, where there are also numerous natural parks.
1 min
With our correspondent in Chile, Naïla Derroisné
The alert was given on December 31, a few hours before New Year’s Eve, and currently affects two major salmon companies.
A first breeding detected the proliferation of a micro algae which caused significant mortality. The center held approximately 850,000 salmon, worth more than $18 million. It is currently still difficult to assess the total loss but it is already estimated that at least 2,800 tonnes were lost between the two companies.
Not the first time
This is far from the first time that such an event has occurred in Chile. Barely a month ago, a similar episode was observed on other farms and caused a loss of nearly 500 tonnes of fish.
Several environmental protection organizations, including Greenpeace, have for several years denounced these episodes of repeated mortality, and more generally the salmon industry, which causes ” health and environmental disasters », according to the NGO, which also accuses lobbies to block any attempt to regulate this prolific industry in the wild fjords of southern Chile.
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