The national director of the institution, Ana María Garay Urrutia, said that although the figures are still preliminary and are in the process of validation, the estimated total harvest will be at least about 1.055 million tons, of which about 804,000 tonnes is for salmonid species. This means an increase in the harvest of these species of about 23 per cent, in comparison with 2011.
Although salmonids saw an increase, it is still lower than the 2010 figure of 39 per cent. This high figure is thought to be due to post Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA).
Production of Atlantic Salmon
Atlantic salmon, the main species of salmonid cultivation and the main export of Chile, were the most affected by the ISA virus years ago.
In 2012 the harvest reached 398,000 tons with a 50.6 per cent increase over the previous year, thus achieving a new record. Nearly 61 per cent of this was obtained in the Aysen region.
Ms Urrutia said that the production value obtained by the Chilean salmon industry in 2012, "occurred with appropriate health indicators, reflected in the mortality figures, which, according to historical records of the past seven years, is within the expected levels."
