Cermaq ASA of Norway has lowered its 2008 production goals for Chile by 22 percent, to 53,000 tons, citing disease problems with farmed salmon.
Farmed salmon production, originally set at 32,000 tons, was cut down to 23,000 tons. Coho and trout estimates were reduced from 18,000 to 15,000 tons.
In addition to problems with infectious salmon anemia (ISA), the company has dealt with incidents of SRS (salmonid rickettsial septicemia) and problems with amoebas, increasing mortalities and lowering harvest weights.
"Operating conditions in Chile for the rest of 2008 are very uncertain due to the relatively high levels of disease affecting production," the company said in a press release.
Cermaq's revised sales volume is based on the presumption that operating conditions will not deteriorate further and that areas currently not affected by outbreaks will remain unaffected.
Other companies have also been impacted by the outbreaks. Last week Marine Harvest closed its Chinquihue processing plant in Puerto Montt, Chile, due to ISA, and earlier this month, retail chain Safeway announced it was restricting its farmed salmon purchases from Chile due to ISA-related issues.
