MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean salmon industry reacts to NY Times allegations

The Chilean salmon industry rejected on Tuesday to an article from The New York Times which claims that local farmers use hormones to speed growth and antibiotics to deal with the infectious anemia, ISA, outbreak.

Following the publication of the article "Safeway" supermarkets in the US suspended all sales of Chilean salmon, a decision which the Chilean industry expects will bed temporary. Chile's Foreign Secretary Alejandro Foxley said that the article adopted a "very negative position" regarding one of the country's most successful industries. "We're going to follow closely events in support of an international action that considers unfounded many of the assertions of the article, which besides have never been proved", said Foxley who also called on the salmon industry to reply "point by point" each of the allegations made. César Barros president of the Chilean Association of Salmon Producers said that a contingency plan is being organized with the Ministries of Finance, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Interior. Chile is currently suffering an outbreak of ISA for which there's no cure but the elimination of all fish in farms contaminated and a ban on all movements in infected areas has been strictly imposed. Chile exported last year 397.039 tons of salmon valued at 2.24 billion US dollars, of which 106.766 tons (803 million US dollars) are shipped to the US. Salmon of the Americans Inc. issued a release in response to the New York Times article, "Salmon Virus Indicts Chile's Fishing Methods", by Alexei Barrionuevo saying that "some of the issues raised regarding the salmon anemia virus (ISA) are incorrect" and describes the alleged lack of sanitary controls as "boldly erroneous". The article lacks merit by referencing the use of hormones to make the fish grow faster. "Hormones have never been used in the history of salmon farming in Chile. This malicious statement that hormones are used is false and serves to dissuade consumers from eating farmed Salmon, the safest of all fish according to the study requested by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and published by the Institute of Medicine. "Equally irresponsible is the unfounded implication that farmed salmon must be to blame for the reduced catch and flabby texture of the locally caught Robalo. "It is important to note that the infrequent administration of approved antibiotics to the Salmon is done only under the close supervision by certified veterinarians and complies with all governmental regulations - just as it does in the Cattle, Pork and the Poultry industry. "A zero tolerance of antibiotics residue is mandatory in farmed salmon and all production is controlled before harvesting is permitted by the Chilean government as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is patently false to state that consumers will be purchasing farmed salmon with any type of medicinal residue". Salmon of the Americas Inc. (SOTA) is a U.S. based non-profit association of U.S., Chilean, and Canadian salmon farming companies. Its mission is to promote the many health benefits of eating salmon.