Chilean authorities have initiated sanction proceedings against salmon producer Australis Mar for overproducing 3,000 tons than allowed in its farm located within a protected wildlife area.
The Superintendence of the Environment (SMA) also cited the company for a second, albeit minor, violation for allowing the amount of suspended solids in the effluent from the wastewater treatment plant to exceed permitted limits.
The overproduction of more than 3,000 tons occurred during the production cycle between January 22, 2018 and December 22, 2019, said authorities. The farm is within the Kawésqar National Reserve – the same protected wildlife area where Cermaq was also recently cited for exceeding production limits.
“The overproduction of salmon is one of the infractions that most concerns us, due to the environmental effects they cause. In the cases we have raised, there are no marginal increases, but large amounts of overproduction. In that sense, it is a breach that should never occur because companies should have total control of their production cycle,” SMA official Emanuel Ibarra was quoted as saying by news outlet Mundo Aquicola.
A serious infraction, such as overproduction, may be subject to revocation of the RCA – a document awarded to companies after passing an environmental impact assessment. Alternatively, it could be subjected to pay a fine, or it could face closure.
Australis Mar is a business unit of Australis Seafoods that’s dedicated to fattening the salmon and marketing it.
