Fundación Chile warned about sanitary crisis in 2000
Kate Casey
It was the year 2000 when, shortly after Nutreco’s takeover of Marine Harvest Chile (of Marine Harvest McConnell), the company’s ex-general manager Gustavo Parada went to work for the Fundación Chile. Serving as manager of marine resources, Parada developed a plan called the “Strategic Plan for National Aquaculture”, which introduced the idea of recirculation systems for fresh water production, changes in the practices of fish transport, and re-enforcing programs focused on genetic improvement and egg importation. “The objective was to better prepare for a problem that was inevitably on its way. It was just a matter of time until it came,” states Parada. According to el Mercurio the Fundación Chile disseminated the plan in the AquaSur conference and in an aquaculture conference in Norway shortly after its publication.
Selected comments from salmon industry leaders regarding the news of the Fundación Chile’s eight year old plan are as follows: “I don’t specifically remember that study,” Rodrigo Infante, General Manager of SalmonChile; “At the end of the day, looking back in history is not what counts. What is important is to look towards tomorrow and we are going to do from now on,” César Barros, President of SalmonChile; “This [situation] is just another example of the underdevelopment of the country. This is not to say however that the [salmon] industry developed in a reckless manner and everyone was concerned only about harvesting money. It is not as simple as that,” Andrés Johnson, ex-general manager of Marine Harvest Chile (until 2007).
