Unidentified parties have allegedly attacked three cages holding 92,863 coho salmon belonging to Chilean salmon farmer Camanchaca, causing a mass escape.
Previous to the rupture, Camanchaca had 222,522 specimens weighing an average 513 grams in seven cages at the center CC 100507 located in Los Lagos region’s Playa Maqui, on Llanquihue Lake, national fishing service Sernapesca reported.
Following the activation of the contingency plan for fish escapes, "Sernapesca officials, together with the maritime authority, were able to verify on the spot the rupture of the cultivation cages and we have been able to verify the recapture of approximately 12,000 specimens," Eduardo Aguilera, the regional director of Sernapesca Los Lagos, told local news service Cooperativa.
Sernapesca will continue monitoring company actions during the contingency and supervising further recapture.
The Los Lagos regional government will look to clarify whether Camanchaca complied with the necessary protocols and other variables, but for the time being, it will not present any legal actions, Los Lagos regional governor Harry Jürgesen told Biobio Chile.
Separately, in late June, 16 of Chilean salmon farmer Blumar’s 18 cages sunk due to heavy storms at its Seno Reloncaví center in Palena province, Los Lagos region, also causing a mass escape. A total 875,144 fish in the fattening stage, at an average weight of 3.8 kilos, were registered at the center.
Some 19,000 fish have reportedly been recaptured to date.
Photo courtesy of Sernapesca
