Camanchaca loses a third of its fish
Salmones Camanchaca has revealed that this year's harvests will be down by a third following losses caused by the blooms of Chattonella marina which affected salmon production Los Lagos region in February and March.
According to information provided by the company in a document presented at its most recent shareholders' AGM, the algal bloom that affected some areas surrounding the Reloncaví Sound, in the region of Los Lagos, caused about 93 per cent mortality on three of its farming sites.
These losses represented about 2.7 million fish, thus reducing the company's harvest expectations by some 14,000 tonnes this year, which means Camanchaca will harvest one third fewer Atlantic salmon this year.
However, as the company explained, its 2017 harvest projections have not been affected by this event.
Finally, the company estimates that the direct economic impact of the algal bloom, after insurance, is in the range of US$ 5-7 million - lower than originally estimated due to a recent increase in average salmon prices.
