La Sociedad Comercial Agrícola y Forestal Quimeyco Limitada is the owner of the “Piscicultura Quimeyco” project.
SMA
The Superintendency of the Environment (SMA) in Chile has sanctioned the company Sociedad Comercial Agrícola y Forestal Quimeyco Limitada, owner of the “Piscicultura Quimeyco” project, for committing environmental violations.
The fine, amounting to 2,791.9 Annual Tax Units (UTA), equivalent to over CLP 2,329 million (approximately $2.5 million), must be paid to the General Treasury of the Republic within ten business days from the date the sanction is notified.
The farm is located in the municipality of Pucón, La Araucanía Region, and cultivates salmonid species weighing up to 80 grams per fish, with a maximum authorized annual production of 120 tons.
According to the SMA, the project was expanded without prior submission to the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA), and the Carhuello River was contaminated due to discharges of industrial liquid waste (RILs) and the emission of unpleasant odors.
Consequently, information was requested, inspections were carried out in accordance with the industrial liquid waste discharge regulations, and oversight activities were conducted. This led to a sanctioning procedure with the formulation of five charges against the project owner.
Finally, the violations confirmed by the SMA include sustained increases in biomass production, feed consumption, and sludge generation beyond what was authorized in RCA No. 4932/2008 during the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
