Chilean salmon producer proposes US$1.5 million expansion project

Multiexport, Chilean-based salmon producer, has presented the Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA) for a US$1.5 million project to enlarge its concessions nearby the Teuquel Island, located in the Chiloé Archipelago (10th Region).

According to the DIA, the project consists in 28 rectangular cages totalling 25,200 square metres with a maximum farming density of 15.8 kg per cubic metre. DIA mentions that during the first five years, the farm will have 1.68 million smolts with 100 grammes each entering the site annually.

Media reports said that the company will implement strong prophylactic and control measures against diseases in the site to reduce the use of antibiotics to its minimum.

Those measures are aimed to control stress (mainly with less handling); water and oceanographic conditions (with improved nets); and presence of predators and infectious agents (with improved nets against sea lions and a strict pathological control).

Reports stated that the company is expecting an annual harvest in the site close to 5,596 tonnes.