April 2, 3008
US trade group defends salmon farming in Chile
US-BASED trade association Salmon of the Americas (SOTA) moved to defend the Chilean salmon farming industry after a New York Times article blamed salmon farming for spreading fish diseases, use of hormones and antibiotics and the decline of local species.
SOTA's response comes after major US retailer Safeway said it is reducing the volumes of Chilean farmed salmon it stocks.
SOTA said it the article incorrectly addressed issues on the salmon anaemia virus [Infectious Salmon Anaemia], including its reference to the lack of sanitary controls as contributing factors to the virus.
SOTA said Chile is not the only country suffering from ISA and the virus has been been found in most salmon farming countries and today governments are enacting strict legislation against it.
The article also incorrectly said that the industry uses hormones to make the fish grow faster,
Calling it a malicious statement used to dissuade consumers from eating farmed salmon, SOTA said hormones have never been used in the history of salmon farming in Chile.
As proof, SOTA cited a study requested by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and published by the Institute of Medicine that salmon is one of the safest fish available.
There is also little grounds for the article's allegation that salmon farming is responsible for the reduced catch and flabby texture of the locally caught robalo.
SOTA said the infrequent administration of approved antibiotics to farmed salmon is done only under the close supervision by certified veterinarians and complies with all governmental regulations, similar to the meat industry.
The industry also practices zero tolerance of antibiotics residue in farmed salmon. All production is controlled before harvesting and is permitted by the Chilean government as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
SOTA is a US based non-profit association of US, Chilean, and Canadian salmon farming companies.
