SRS new monitoring programme approved
The new Sanitary Programme of Control and Surveillance of Piscirickettsiosis or PSEVC-SRS was created to reduce the impact of this disease in Chile and has two specific objectives: early detection and following of SRS cases; and, timely and progressive implementation of measures to control early and advanced cases of SRS.
According to the PSEVC-SRS, all farming sites will be categorized depending on the presence and impact of this disease in 3 groups: sites in surveillance, without presence of the disease; sites in alert; with a weekly mortality rate lower than 0.35 percent caused by SRS; and, sites of large spread, those with a mortality rate equal or higher than 0.35 percent per week caused by SRS.
If a Site of Large Spread is not able to reduce the mortality rate below 0.35 percent within 6 weeks after notification, there will be a mandatory early harvest and/or elimination of part of the biomass in that site.
Besides, all farming sites will be subjected to a regular surveillance: before and after smolts enter to the sea and then, every 2 months. Moreover, all sites with presence of the disease will be subjected to more strict and frequent surveillance.
Several sources claim that SRS represent annual losses close to US$ 100 million for the Chilean salmon industry.
