Mixed fortunes for Chile's salmonid species
Chilean salmonid harvests totalled 346,641 tonnes in the first five months of this year, representing a 1.4 per cent increase compared to the same period of 2013 (341,747 tonnes) according to preliminary figures submitted by the Chilean Under-Secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca).
A comparison of results by species shows a 16.8 per cent increase in the volume of Atlantic salmon harvested, from 208,357 tonnes to 243,462 tonnes; a 13.7 per cent decrease in rainbow trout volumes, to 58,588 tonnes; a 31.1 per cent decrease in Coho volumes, to 44,591 tonnes; and a 100 per cent decrease in king salmon harvests, whgich were down to zero tonnes.
Regarding the origin of those fish, around 91,300 tonnes of Atlantic salmon were harvested in the Region of Los Lagos while almost 139,200 tonnes were harvested in the Region of Aysén.
Total aquaculture exports up to May
| Species | Tonnes 2013 | Tonnes 2014 | Variation (%) |
| Atlantic salmon | 208,357 | 243,462 | 16.8 |
| Chilean mussel | 172,306 | 122,954 | -28.6 |
| Rainbow trout | 67,861 | 58,588 | -13.7 |
| Coho salmon | 64,761 | 44,591 | -31.1 |
| Gracilaria | 4,953 | 4,434 | -10.5 |
| Northern scallop | 1,711 | 1,671 | -2.3 |
| Others | 1,372 | 1,746 | 27.2 |
| King salmon | 768 | 0 | -100.0 |
| Pacific oyster | 29 | 60 | 109.9 |
| Total | 522,117 | 477,506 | -8.5 |
Source: Chilean Fisheries Under-Secretariat (Subpesca) upon figures from the National Customs Service and the Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP).
