Volcano eruption caused losses of 30 million fish
According to a report recently published by the Chilean Service of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Sernapesca), at the time of the eruption -April 2015, there were 61 lake farms and 15 land-based freshwater sites in the region of Los Lagos.
Meanwhile, after the eruption some farms nearby the volcano had to move some of their fish and in certain cases suffered the total loss of their facilities.
There were 10 land-based freshwater sites in operation located within the radius of 20 km surrounding the Calbuco volcano during the eruption, which were stocked with 20,553 breeders, 14 million eggs, 26 million fry and 16,310 smolts. Nearly 37 million fish were Atlantic salmon and about 2 million were Coho salmon.
Meanwhile, Sernapesca informed that losses totalized 30 million fish corresponding to 778 tonnes of biomass, including breeders (16,313), eggs (11,722,362) smolts (613,624*) and fry (18,486,782) of Atlantic salmon, Coho salmon and Rainbow trout. In addition, it was reported that more than 33 million fish with an average weight of 2,647 kg were moved.
Of the ten active fish farms in the week 17, Sernapesca reported that there were three farms with total loss, belonging to Marine Harvest Chile, Aquacultivos and Aquagen Chile. Other companies affected were AquaChile, Invermar, Cermaq, Caleta Bay, Trusal, Camanchaca and Salmones Pacific Star, operated by Aquagen Chile.
* 613,624 smolts were escaped from a lake farm during the volcano eruption.
