SalmonChile’s members paid £11.5m in licence fees in 2021

Members of salmon farming sector organisation SalmonChile paid more than 11.6 billion Chilean pesos (£11.5 million) in taxes and fees for aquaculture, commercial, maritime and vehicle licences in 2021, with 99.5% of the money going directly to the regions where the companies operate.

SalmonChile represents 10 salmon farmers, including big hitters Multi X and Australis, but not the country’s biggest producer AquaChile, or Mowi.

The organisation’s members also include nine hatcheries and 29 suppliers such as laboratories, feed plants, pharmacists, logistics and equipment services, transport, packaging, and veterinarians.

Aquaculture licences

Out of 11.602 bn pesos (CLP) paid, CLP 7.536 bn corresponded to aquaculture licence fees that are distributed equally between the commune where the salmon farm is located and the respective regional government.

A further CLP 3.029 bn was paid for commercial licences, CLP 784 million in taxes, CLP 182 m for maritime licences, and CLP 42 m for vehicle licences.

Los Lagos region receives the most contributions from SalmonChile’s member companies.

In 2021, it obtained more than CLP 4.122 bn for aquaculture licences, split between the farm site communes and the regional government.

The Aysén region received more than CLP 2.251 bn, while the Magallanes region benefited from payments of more than CLP 1.714 bn.

The Biobío region received CLP 523 m from aquaculture licence fees, Los Rios region received CLP 96 m and La Araucanía region received CLP 29 m.