The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the labeling of Chilean salmon as “healthy” – a move which aquaculture companies in the South American nation see as a significant opportunity to increase sales abroad.
The newly awarded distinction is a milestone that promises to increase Chilean farmed fish’s visibility and attractiveness in the North American market, according to the Chilean Salmon Council.
“This decision consolidates the trust of our largest market for Chilean salmon farming, which positively impacts our exports and also opens the door for us to explore new strategic international destinations,” Salmon Council Executive Director Loreto Seguel said in a statement.
On the consumer side, the label helps assure that they are purchasing high-quality fish that meets the strictest and most rigorous health, safety, and wellness standards before consumption, the council said.
The U.S. bought 235,934 metric tons (MT) of salmon and trout from Chile in 2024, valued at USD 2.58 billion (EUR 2.5 billion), according to the latest data from Chile’s National Customs Service. That represented more than 40 percent of Chile’s overall salmon exports of 782,076 MT that brought in USD 6.37 billion (EUR 6.18 billion).
Seguel said that one of the biggest challenges for the salmon-farming industry is to forge a consolidated path toward sustainability, but she also said there was a need to build an identity and national pride around salmon, which the FDA label helps to accomplish.
“We cannot miss this great opportunity; we must act soon to give greater prominence to Chilean salmon and its benefits. Examples such as the FDA seal ratify that relevant and international reference organizations endorse the prestige of our Chilean salmon,” she said.
Looking forward, the Chilean Salmon Council aims to help the industry consolidate as a global leader in healthy food solutions, which will require a joint effort between public and private sectors, according to Seguel.
"We are facing a country crusade where public-private collaboration is key to projecting our industry in a sustainable and competitive way,” she said. “With the support of the FDA, the challenge now is to maximize this opportunity and transform salmon into an emblem and source of pride for Chile.”
In a recent survey held by polling agency Cadem, aquaculture came in last place of the Chilean general public’s view of relevant industries in the country, chosen by just 5 percent of those surveyed. Over half of the public surveyed did not know that Chile is the second-largest producer of farmed salmon in the world and is responsible for 33 percent of the salmon produced globally, trailing just Norway, which produces 48 percent.
