Santiago, Chile-based Camanchaca has reported an increase in mortality at two of its salmon-farming centers in the community of Chaiten, in the Los Lagos region.
According to an 8 March announcement from Sernapesca, Chile’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, Salmones Camanchaca reported an increase in mortality at its Nieves farm due to low oxygen levels, caused by a microalgae bloom. That center contained 664,653 Atlantic salmon weighing approximately four kilograms each.
The company activated its action plan against mass mortalities and Sernapesca has continued to monitor the removal of mortality from the center, according to the government agency.
Subsequently, on 11 March, Camanchaca reported another increase in mortality, this time at the Puerto Argentino farming center, located in the same sector and also attributed to algae bloom. The company is using the wellboat Ana Cristina for the removal of these deaths. Sernapesca did not report the number of fish at this center.
“At both centers, we have maintained permanent control of contingency plans from day one and in coordination with the local maritime authority. Extraction operations are currently being carried out at both centers, so Sernapesca will continue to supervise these, as well as the surveillance of the transfer and final disposal" of the fish, Sernapesca Los Lagos Regional Director Branny Montecinos said.
Sernapesca said it will continue to monitor mortality removal and ensure the strict application of the respective contingency plans in order to prevent environmental or health impacts derived from these events.
In 2020, Camanchaca's revenue dropped 52.7 percent to USD 65.8 million (EUR 54.5 million) while expenses remained relatively flat at USD 5.2 million (EUR 4.3 million), bringing earnings before interest, taxes, debt, and amortization (EBITDA) to a USD 8.7 million (EUR 7.2 million) loss.
In its earnings release, Camanchaca said that it expects to invest a total of USD 29 million (EUR 24 million) in 2021, of which USD 10.2 million (EUR 8.4 million) would go towards increasing capacity. It provided harvest volume guidance of 56,000 to 57,000 MT whole fish equivalent (WFE) for 2021; 53,000 to 54,000 MT WFE for 2022; 70,000 to 71,000 MT WFE for 2023; 69,000 to 70,000 MT WFE for 2024 and 72,000 to 73,000 MT WFE for 2025; mostly from Atlantic salmon, but with an increasing contribution from trout and coho production.
Photo courtesy of Sernapesca
