Chile’s salmon-farming sector has seen significant expansion since the early 1990s. From USD 159 million (EUR 152 million) worth of salmonid exports in 1991, the industry closed 2024 with 782,076 metric tons (MT) of salmon and trout exports worth USD 6.37 billion (EUR 6.18 billion), according to the latest figures from Chile’s National Customs Service – marking growth of nearly 4,000 percent.
However, that initial growth was often unruly and unregulated, leading to environmental damage and culminating in an ISA virus crisis from 2007 to 2010.
The industry has since taken a firm stance on sector sustainability, but it has still drawn the attention and criticism of national and international environmental organizations.
Further, since taking office in 2022, Chile President Gabriel Boric has been critical of the nation’s salmon-farming industry, pushing to reform the sector, which has faced increased regulatory pressure after a series of scandals that included salmon-farming firms underreporting environmental damage and salmon mortalities.
Sector players have said the current administration has been overzealous in implementing audits, increasing controls, and limiting further aquaculture growth. SeafoodSource spoke with the Chilean Salmon Council Executive Director Loreto Seguel on whether the sector should assume more responsibility.
SeafoodSource: The Chilean salmon industry has faced criticism when it comes to sustainability. Should the sector assume more blame for what has happened over the last 30 years or so?
Seguel: We have to be proud of what this industry has built and how it has developed, but at the same time, we have to be aware of the challenges and take responsibility for what it means.
If we only talk about pride, it communicates that we have done everything fantastic, and that’s not true; there have been successes and significant failures. Nor can we only talk about challenges and responsibilities because it sounds self-flagellating and does not recognize that an industry started from scratch 30 years ago, created wealth, has changed the lives of thousands of families, and continues to do so today.
It is the most relevant industry in southern Chile, so we also have to be proud.
With respect to different environmental NGOs, I believe that an industry like this has turning points, with important successes and failures. Before the ISA virus, the industry was self-regulated, and that created a communication liability.
After the ISA virus, it has been another story. It is another industry where the public system worked together with industry to be able to regulate it, and today, it has become an overregulation. When one regulates in a crisis, it is poorly regulated.
This industry has been characterized by regulating itself in crisis, but there is a public institutionality that has an international prestige that is little talked about.
Sernapesca [National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service] and our SAG [Agricultural and Livestock Service] are two public institutions that regulate the industry in Chile and have a high standard of prestige abroad; there’s a reason for that.
Obviously we have challenges, and many times we have differences with Sernapesca or SAG. But, that does not mean we should not recognize that this public body has a recognized international seniority that gives us certain guarantees on the world stage.
Additionally, environmental NGOs often misinform, unfortunately, and they don’t provide accurate information. That must be said with all its force. A clear example is that many times, the reports from Chile show pictures of round pens, but in Chile, there are no round pens.
When you see that, you say that's neither the photo, nor the seabed, nor the production of a pen in Chile. In the end, this also represents a communication challenge. The industry was very quiet for many years, and he who is silent concedes. That cannot be, and those are the issues we’re facing today.
Today, we as a council are being very firm because of our technical rigor. That doesn’t mean we do not have challenges …
