Chilean authorities have an exact number, say local press.
Ever since a storm broke open Ventisqueros’ sea cages last December, there has been some confusion over numbers surrounding salmon escapes in the Los Lagos region of Chile.
In January, the company confirmed that an estimated 26,830 fish are now in Chilean waters.
Sernapesca still has not confirmed that number. BioBioChile have reported that the agency has it in their possession but it has not yet been made public.
Furthermore, the publication said that sources have told them that authorities may not allow Sernapesca’s regional authority to talk about the issue, because they “want to lower the profile to the situation” and “avoid a new conflict with the industry.”
The president of the Fisheries Committee in the Senate, Rabindranath Quinteros, has called on Sernapesca to deliver the data to public opinion as soon as possible.
Sernapesca said that that they will not disclose the number of escaped salmon while a contingency plan is active, which expires on February 6. However, the publication noted that this was a different position to the one that Sernapesca took with Marine Harvest’s escape (Mowi) last year.
SalmonBusiness has contacted Sernapesca for comment.
