Cermaq CEO: Norway’s salmon industry needs Chile

Improved biology in Chile with predictable and sustainable volume growth will benefit the Norwegian salmon farming industry, according to Cermaq CEO Jon Hindar.

Speaking at the Seafood Conference 2016 in Oslo, Hindar said that because Norway and Chile accounted for 80 percent of the global salmon supply in 2015, other regions were too small to materially impact global market balance and prices. Therefore, a prolonged negative growth scenario in Chile could lead to demand destruction for salmon unless growth in Norway can compensate.

He highlighted that Salmon Rickettsial Septicaemia (SRS) syndrome is the main challenge in Chile, which is leading to low price and quality realization and increased concerns about the high use of antibiotics, and added that an effective vaccine against the disease is needed.

Salmon and trout producer Cermaq is in engaged in R&D as a basis for vaccine development and is also running systematic trials of new vaccines, he explained.

“It is definitely possible, but there are no ‘quick fixes’ for a recovery of Chilean salmon farming to a sustainable industry," Hindar said.

More than 5 million smolt will be released in 2016 with the aim to limit SRS outbreaks.

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