August 7, 2007

ISA disease hits Chile's salmon industry
 

Infectious Salmon Anemia, or ISA, recently hit Lemuy Island in Chile's central Chiloe region, according to the Chilean National Fisheries Service (Sernapesca). The disease has raised concerns of a potential outbreak that could lead to the culling of millions of farmed salmon in the country.

Sernapesca said ISA has always been unpredictable as far as fish farming and current industry practices were concerned. However, it is certain that an ISA outbreak would significantly impact the industry economically as well as the environment.

ISA is considered a major threat to open net cage salmon farms around the world, and Sernapesca has warned the Bush administration that if its open ocean aquaculture bill under consideration does not include measures to prevent ISA, US aquaculture expansion might meet with disaster.

Meanwhile, the Chilean salmon industry has been urged to give priority towards taking preventive measures against the disease.