Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
reports regarding the effect and assessment of the FW production, environmental issues,
salmonid escapes, and carrying capacity of fjords (Díaz & León-Muñoz et al., 2006; León-
Muñoz et al., 2007; Nieto et al., 2010; Sepúlveda et al., 2009; Tapia & Giglio, 2010).
7. Perspectives
The experience from all fish producing countries including Chile has demonstrated that the
fish health situation plays a major role when expecting good biological and economical
performance in aquaculture farming. On a larger level, this aspect is determinant to success or
failure of an industry focused on the artificial farming of fish (Smith et al., 2001). Because of the
rapid aquaculture expansion, diseases have emerged with disastrous economic consequences.
Estimated disease losses in aquaculture worldwide are in the order of USD 8 billion per year,
which represents 15% of the value generated by the global aquaculture production (Enright,
2003). The economic losses attributed to diseases are mostly attributed by mortality caused
directly by diseases; although weight losses, quality losses and costs incurred because of
control and prevention are also important cost drivers (Bravo et al. 2005). Severe sanitary
events occurred in salmon producing countries in the early 1990´s; in Norway, and in the
middle and late 1990´s in Scotland, Faroe Island, Canada, USA and Chile in the 2000´s
(Gustafson et al., 2005; Lynstad et al., 2008). It has been clearly demonstrated that in Chile the
regulatory system was ineffective by reducing environmental and sanitary threats prior to the
ISA crisis in 2007, despite RAMA and RESA. Furthermore, the voluntary agreements (APL)
were either inadequate or insufficient or delayed. Thus, it is evident that the industry itself
fails to implement adequate and timely measurements in response to threats. Although Chile
has been the largest producer of rainbow trout and Coho salmon, and the second producer of
Atlantic salmon worldwide since 1990s, it was not until 2010 that authorities and the industry
developed together the designing, regulation and ruling of organized aquaculture
neighbourhood with several measurements regarding mainly biosecurity and production.
Although up to date about 21 sites have been reported with the low pathogenic ISAv-HPR0
strain, only 2 site has been reported as ISAv-HPR7b recording clinical disease and mortalities.
In addition, in the beginning of 2011, reports from the industry indicate that the salmon
production in Chile will be back to 2007 level in 2013. The fast comeback has been possible due
to willingness from the banks to reorganize the debts of the companies, extremely high salmon
prices and risk willing investors. In Chile, research and development is needed to secure a
sustainable development of the industry. The sanitary crisis, caused by an industry that were
allowed to grow too fast considering the unsolved disease problems, e.g. SRS,
Caligus
, IPNv
and finally the epidemic ISAv, has shown that Chile has the obligation as a country to
stimulate the industry to invest more resources into R&D. Clearly, Chilean challenges require
local solutions and there cannot be good regulation or good production models without a
sound scientific and technical rationale. Historically in Chile, the public investment in research
and development in aquaculture yearly, which involves private partners, has been at average
below USD 10 per ton of farmed fish (Medina, 2008 pers. Comm.). Most of these resources
have been used to implement knowledge developed in other countries, but also to build up a
research infrastructure for aquaculture at Universities. More recently, also international
research institutes as Nofima, Sintef, VESO and NIVA have established in Chile. Further,
several farming and feeding companies are building up their own R&D departments in Chile
with the aim to develop a more sustainable industry. Altogether, we have an optimistic view
on the future of Chilean salmon farming.
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