Salmon harvest process. Fish crowding prior to suction using net.
Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) outbreak in AquaChile, Chile's largest producer in South America nation's southern Magallanes region. Currently, the salmons have being monitored to control the outbreak.
The ISA disease is known for its significant impact on salmon production, as it causes high mortalities in infected groups. Even though it's not the first time Chile faces up to ISA, 2007 was the year where the nightmare started. The aftermath of the outbreak lasted more than two years, and estimated losses between US$1 billion and US$2 billion. Among 64% of the biomass lost to the disease.
As a matter of fact, all the alarms have gone off, and all the procedures to maintain the health of the salmon still working since 28 Febreuary. On this day the officials of the Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura of Chile (Sernapesca) suspected the possibility of the outbreak and planned to enter in the area when weather conditions allow it to take samples for the cages. The samples will be sent to a laboratory in Valparaiso for assessment.
The establishment must comply with the ISA surveillance and control program. Some of these measures are the sending of specific information within 48 hours and weekly sanitary and epidemiological reports.
In addition, Constanza Silva, Sernapesca's Deputy Director of Aquaculture, has taken further precautions. Sernapesca has activated the supervisory actions on-site and remote inspection actions to monitor the company's compliance with biosafety protocols.
The production site holds 766,402 Atlantic salmon in nine cages with an average weight of 1.1 kilos, representing a total biomass of just over 861 metric tons, Chile's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) reported.
"Our goal is to act quickly so that if positivity is confirmed, we prevent the spread of the virus to nearby sites, safeguarding the common good of the area", said Sernapesca Deputy Director of Aquaculture Constanza Silva.
AquaChile is a Chilean company of aquaculture sector. The Company's activities are about three business segments: Salmon and trout, tilapia, and food. The salmon and trout division focuses on the farming, processing, and distribution of Atlantic and coho salmon.
Moreover, it exports products to the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Among their subsidiaries are Aguas Claras SA, AquaChile Inc, Grupo ACI SA, Inversiones Salmones Australes Ltda, and Salmones Maullin SA.
