MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean fisheries exports soar in value

Chilean fisheries exports advanced 10.6% in the first eight months of 2006 compared to the same period last year totaling 1.039 billion US dollars reports Sonapesca, the country's Fisheries Society.

Sonapesca's General Manager Cristian Jara forecasts that Chilean fisheries exports will be reaching 1.5 billion US dollars in 2006.

However although prices have soared, shipments have decreased.

Fish meal and oil export volumes dropped 20.2% and for tinned and frozen fish, and algae and by products, volumes were down between 10 and 23.8%.

But the increase in fish meal price, up 51.7% in the eight months of 2006 reaching 951 US dollars per ton, more than compensated volume contraction.

Sonapesca reports that anchovy landings were down 33% in the north and the fisheries ban was only lifted two weeks ago.