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Salmon farms must stop their activities after harvesting. (Photo: Sernapesca)
Trusal investigated for alleged breach of health regulations
CHILE
Friday, July 15, 2011, 01:10 (GMT + 9)
The Undersecretariat of Fisheries (Subpesca) launched an investigation to see if the company Trusal failed to comply with the health regulation by not respecting break schemes on a salmon farm.
Under the Law on Fisheries and Aquaculture, neighbourhoods (clusters of aquaculture concessions) must stop their activities for three months after the completion of the planting, cultivation and harvest processes of salmon.
According to the regulation, working time can range from 15 to 24 months depending on the agreement settled by the companies in the neighbourhood.
Official sources indicated that Trusal would have incurred an infraction in Chaitén 14 neighbourhood, which remained under the 21 month scheme operation.
The break period of this neighbourhood should have taken place from June to August 2011.
Apart from Trusal, the companies Pacific Star, Camanchaca, Ventisqueros, Yadrán and Aquagen operate in this neighbourhood, reported Economía y Negocios.
The notification of the breach was sent by the National Fisheries Service (Sernapesca) to Subpesca last June.
Since then, the Undersecretariat has been investigating the case.
If the infringement is proved, Trusal could be penalized with fines ranging between 50 UTM-CLP 1.9 million (USD 4,065) and 3,000 UTM-CLP 115 million (USD 246,000).
The measure adopted by Sernapesca matches the Regulations of Protection, Control and High Risk Disease Eradication Measures for aquatic species (N°. 319), which empowers the government entity to set health management measures in areas presenting epidemiological, oceanographic, geographic or operational characteristics that justify its coordinated health management, ensuring harmonious operation measures for all fish farms.
Trusal has a period of 15 working days to respond to the appeal.
By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media
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