Atlantic salmon accounted for 73.2% of salmon farming during 2019. Photo: Salmonexpert archive.

Atlantic salmon production up 10% in Chile last year

The amount of Atlantic salmon produced in Chile increased by 10.1% to 697,400 tonnes in 2019, according to data from the country’s aquaculture regulator, Subpesca.

Published Last updated

The total salmonid harvest last year was 953,300 tonnes, 13.1% higher than in 2018.

Atlantic salmon accounted for 73.2% of salmonids farmed in 2019, with coho salmon and rainbow trout making up 18.5% and 8.3% respectively.

Atlantic salmon was harvested mainly in the regions of Aysén (375,800 tonnes) and Los Lagos (224,200 tonnes).

28.4% coho increase

The 2019 harvest of coho salmon last year amounted to 176,400 tonnes, a 28.4% increase compared to 2018. Coho were harvested mainly in the Los Lagos region (66.9%) and Aysén (32.6%).

The total amount of rainbow trout harvested in Chile last year was 79,500 tonnes, a 10.3% increase on 2018. The main regions where rainbow trout were produced were Aysén and Los Lagos, with 49.2% and 31.4% respectively.

The number of salmonid ova produced was 647.6 million, 2.8% fewer compared to 2018. The proportion of ova by species was 66.6% Atlantic salmon, 20.3% coho salmon and 13.1% rainbow trout.