November 23, 2007

Chile salmon producers hit by Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA)

Closures of some salmon farms in Chile indicate the country's recent difficulties with Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA), according to Santiago Times.

The complexity of the problem may be more than what the government or key industry players were willing to admit, said some industry observers.

Recently, Marine Harvest - the world's largest farmed salmon company - announced plans to close several Chiloe salmon farms and move operations south toward the less-crowded waters of Region XI (Aysen).

Leif Frode Onarheim, the company's acting president and CEO, said that ISA is a serious problem since it could easily spread to the closest sites.

Petter Arnesen, Technical Director of Marine Harvest, said it is vital that salmon farming companies in Chile share knowledge and information, in order to overcome ISA.

ISA is a highly contagious virus that can be lethal to fish although it does not affect humans. It spreads easily and quickly. Symptoms include a paling of the salmon's gills, swelling of the liver and spleen, and internal haemorrhaging.

Francisco Atiza, representative of the salmon company Mainstream, said Chile's sanitary problems are "real" but not limited to just Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA).

Atiza said the sanitary problem affects the development of the fish and cause poor production. But the problem began long before ISA showed up.