Salmon farming centre. (Photo: AquaChile)

Environmental breaches detected in four salmon firms

CHILE
Wednesday, October 29, 2014, 22:50 (GMT + 9)

The Superintendence of the Environment (SMA) and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA) filed charges against several salmon companies after monitoring salmon farms in the regions of Bío Bío, Los Lagos and Aysen.

The companies involved are Empresas AquaChile SA, AquaChile, Salmones Chiloé and Antarfood Salmon SA due to a number of environmental and health breaches in eight farms and in a processing plant.

The companies against which charges were filed have 10 days to submit a Compliance Programme or a 15-day deadline to submit rebuttals to the SMA. Meanwhile, the sanction process continues.

Empresas AquaChile ensured that so far it has not been formally notified of all the charges. However, it clarified that "they are facts that have mostly been resolved with the authority and that occurred during the first half of 2013". In addition, it stated that defense statements will be expressed within the stipulated time.

"AquaChile is inserted into the community and understands its development should be in harmony with the environment. We are committed to manage growth in a sustainable and responsible manner," pointed out the salmon producing firm. "True to this, we exercise our daily work and collaborate with the relevant authorities," it added.

The centres where breaches have been detected are the following:

• Pisicultura Quetroleufu (Aquachile SA) in the Bío Bío Region;
• Caicura Farming Centre (Empresas Aquachile SA) in Los Lagos Region;
• Camino Huicha Salmon Processing Plant (Antarfood SA) in Los Lagos Region;
• Betecoi Farming Centre, Guaitecas 2, Fresia Sur, Fresia Weste and Isla Lalanca (Empresas Aquachile SA), in the Aysen Region;
• James 1 (Salmones Chiloe SA) in the Aysen Region.

Among the various environmental non-compliances that the relevant authorities noted, the SMA lists:

Empresas Aquachile SA:

• Exceeding the authorized production limits, with cages in greater numbers and depth than those approved;
• Laying nets on the seabed adjacent to the farms, without following the taken nets transportation, cleaning and disinfection procedures;
• Submitting health reports with discordant information regarding the number of parasite loads (sea lice or caligus) and not submitting the health information requested within the time required;
• No withdrawing the mortalities daily from the farming units and not having these mortalities properly disposed.

Aquachile SA:

• Not keeping the fungi and algae receptor body clean;
• Hazardous waste and its storage location do not meet the labeling and appropriate signage;
• Chemical storage place has no containment parapet, signage or entering product record, overcrowding of products observed inside the storage place;
• Potable water system does not have sanitary authorization for operation;
• No management and control of the water system performed in the required way;
• Private sewage system does not have the sanitary authorization for operation;
• Wastewater treatment plant does not have a chlorination system and declaration of treated effluent;
• Contingency Plan is not implemented for fish escape;
• Monitoring NCh 1333 standard is not performed in the required manner.

Salmones Chiloé SA:

• Laying nets on the seabed adjacent to the farms, not following taken nets transportation, cleaning and disinfection procedures.

Antarfood SA:

• Organic Material Spill into the Environment (blood water).

Related articles:

- Acuinova charged with environmental breaches
- SMA approves compliance programmes of two salmon firms

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

 AquaChile S.A. - Group Headquarters

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