19 Jun 2007 - Santiago,
Chile – A new WWF study released today finds
that the production of farmed salmon in
Chile’s unique Patagonian lakes has doubled
in the last decade, contaminating them with
nutrient pollution, invasive species, disease
and harmful chemicals.
The study — Salmon Farming in the Lakes
of Southern Chile: History, Tendencies,
and Environmental Impacts — urges the Chilean
industry to move farmed salmon out of freshwater
ecosystems to closed-containment recirculation
systems on land.
“These lakes are a global treasure and
pollution from salmon farming is completely
avoidable,” said David Tecklin, WWF’s representative
in Chile.
“Chile has become the world’s second largest
producer of farmed salmon but the industry
must rapidly improve its environmental practices
if it expects to survive in the global marketplace.”
Moving farmed salmon from freshwater lakes
to land-based closed systems would reduce
environmental pressures and increase Chile’s
competitiveness in the global salmon trade.
The majority of salmon consumed in the US,
for example, is farmed, and the bulk of
it comes from Chile.
Lake pollution
In an effort to replicate salmon’s natural
lifecycle, the salmon industry has used
Chile’s freshwater lakes for the past 25
years to produce salmon smolt (large juvenile
fish), which are later transported to marine
sites to mature. Smolt production has become
— along with urban sewage — the most significant
point source of pollution for Chile’s unique
and pristine freshwater lakes.
The study found that total smolt production
in Chile’s freshwater systems has increased
exponentially over the last several years.
In 1998, 91 million smolt were produced
in Chile’s freshwater ecosystems. In 2005,
approximately 293 million smolt were produced.
According to WWF, in order to sustain these
production levels while maintaining the
ecological integrity of Chile’s freshwater
systems, especially lakes, smolt production
must move to land-based systems. Such systems
are widely used in other salmon producing
countries and have been adopted by some
companies in Chile. The state-of-the-art
technology is based on closed-containment
recirculation systems. A complete transition
from lakes to this type of facility is estimated
to require an investment of approximately
US$43 million, representing only 2 percent
of the value of Chile’s total salmon exports
in 2006.
“Closed-containment recirculation systems
will minimize the negative environmental
impacts of the freshwater stages of salmon
production, and will also result in faster
salmon growth rates, lower mortality rates,
and will reduce the need for chemicals to
control disease,” said Jorge Leon, a WWF
consultant and co-author of the report.
“Chile has become a world leader in salmon
production, providing both a challenge and
a great opportunity to demonstrate environmental
leadership. Transitioning smolt production
out of lakes is one very important first
step in this process.”
Win-win situation
The study is part of a global effort WWF
has with the salmon industry, other NGOs,
governments, scientists, and other stakeholders
to identify key impacts of salmon farming
and to develop performance-based standards.
“The implementation of these standards
will result in better zoning for salmon
operations, fewer salmon ‘escapes’ into
waterways, a healthier environment and reduced
chemical use,” said Jason Clay, Vice-President
of Markets and Agriculture at WWF-US.
“Together, these measures will ensure that
salmon remains a safe source of protein
for human consumption.”
The salmon industry in Chile provides an
estimated 45,000 jobs, and salmon has become
one of the country’s major exports after
copper and timber. Over the last 15 years,
total salmon production has increased ten
fold, reaching a total of 378,000 tons worth
US$2.2 billion in 2006.
“Adopting better practices in the salmon
farming industry will be a win-win situation
for all,” added Tecklin.
“It’s a win for consumers looking for healthy
products derived from good environmental
and social practices, for salmon producers
and people whose jobs depend on this sector,
and for Chilean society as a whole as it
restores and conserves unique freshwater
and marine ecosystems.”
Monica Echeverria, Senior Communications
Officer
WWF-US
