MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile behind Norway as world's leading salmon producers

According to recently released industry data, Chile maintained its status as the world's second largest famed salmon-producer in 2007, although salmon production decreased by about three percent from 2006.

Roughly 358,900 tons of salmon were produced in 2007, compared to 368,700 tons in 2006. Norway is currently the world leader in the salmon industry, with some 723,200 tons of fish harvested in 2007. This represents an increase of 21% from 2006, when Norway weighed in at 598,500 tons. Labor concerns, Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) and Caligus (sea lice) outbreaks, and international restrictions may affect Chile's production levels in 2008, as well. The production level news comes after Terram and Oxfam launched its "Not Afraid To Go Against the Current" campaign earlier this month. The campaign's goal is to draw public attention to problems - including low wages and relatively high safety and health risks - that affect the Chilean salmon industry's estimated 55,000 workers. Though this campaign is relatively new, the labor and environmental shortcomings of the salmon industry are not. Russia recently restricted its Chilean salmon imports after finding staphylococcus-contaminated fish and falsified sanitation documents. The National Fishing Service (SERNAPESCA) and SalmonChile, the salmon industry's private trade association, claim they have no records of the alleged falsifications. Still, this represents a big loss to Chile, as Russia is the 8th largest importer of salmon in the world. Meanwhile last week a labor strike at Chile's largest salmon plant was defused when a police force of 200 officers dumped water and tear gas on protesters at the Antarfish plant in Calbuco, Region X. Although the strike is over, company spokesmen said the Calbulco plant will not be reopened "until we are certain that operations can return to normal with complete security". The Santiago Times