Chile’s Superintendence of the Environment (SMA) has initiated an investigation into salmon-farming firm Australis regarding a fuel spill that took place on 4 July at the firm’s Pan de Azúcar salmon grow-out center located in the nation’s Kawésqar National Reserve.
Australis used the SMA’s Environmental Monitoring System to sound the alarm about the incident after company personnel identified fuel leaking from a pontoon platform at the center. On 6 July, the Captaincy of the Port of Punta Arenas, which is a supervisory body within the Chilean Navy, informed the SMA that the fuel spill was initially estimated at 7,000 liters.
The SMA has now instructed Australis to submit updated information regarding the amount of fuel leaked into the sea, the monitoring and actions carried out by the company to control the contingency, and the results of a mandated toxicity bioassay analysis.
Since the reporting of the accident, the SMA said it has been in permanent coordination and communication with the Chilean Navy, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca), local environment and health officials, and the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) to keep abreast of the situation and the measures implemented by different sectoral agencies.
In a public statement sent to SeafoodSource, Australis highlighted that the contingency plan was immediately activated after the spill was detected and relevant authorities were notified. The fuel had leaked from a pump that was being used to clean one of the tanks at the pontoon, but the maintenance process was halted as soon as the leak was detected, according to the company.
“The Pan de Azúcar grow-out center has all the human and technical resources to implement the Contingency Plan established in its environmental permit,” Australis said. “However, as a company, we had a series of extra equipment for containment and cleaning work, and as required by the Navy, an external company specialized in this type of situation is already working at the grow-out center.”
A number of vessels have been deployed for containment and absorption work, with the use of tools, pumps, and accessories for cleaning the coast due to the spill, the company said. Officials have met with the Navy to analyze the information collected in the field and establish goals for progress in the short and medium term, while local communities and partners have been informed and kept updated on the progress of these efforts. Australis added that it is also working on compiling all the information requested by the SMA.
“As a company, we will continue to collaborate with all the authorities, and we will continue to implement all the measures within our reach – human, technical, and economic – to fully comply with the Contingency Plan that we activated to deal with this situation, which is under control,” it said.
Recently, an environmental court in Chile annulled an environmental permit for Australis to operate its Obstrucción grow-out center, also located in the southern Magallanes region, finding the permit’s evaluation process had deficiencies. The company has filed a petition with the court for the sentence to be suspended.
