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AquaChile's Victor Hugo Puchi criticised the small-mindedness of politicians in garnering votes instead of focusing on the LGPA. (Photo: Stock File)
Top salmon exec slams farming bill delay
CHILE
Thursday, November 12, 2009, 01:30 (GMT + 9)
The president of the firm AquaChile, Victor Hugo Puchi, maintains that the delay in the proceedings of the General Fisheries and Aquaculture Law (LGPA) in the National Congress is due to “Populism” by the parliamentarians during a pre-election period.
“It has been particularly disappointing to see how the world of politics is so small-minded – while facing a social crisis of this magnitude, with 50,000 unemployed, the motivation of the discussion is populism and getting votes,” the executive lashed out.
The law bill looks to establish a new regulation for the salmon farming industry, following the sanitary and productive crisis derived from the propagation of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) virus among farming centres of the country.
For Puchi, legislators focused their discussions on matters unrelated to technical points that aim to improve the sanitary production and conditions of the salmon farming industry.
Despite the fact that the norm is not yet in effect, salmon farming companies together implemented – through the Salmon Industry Association of Chile AG (SalmonChile) – their own measures to lift the standards of the industry, he indicated.
Like other members of the salmon farming industry, Puchi anticipates that 2010 will be the “worst year for harvests,” following a 2009 with lower farming centre output and biomass.
In the case of AquaChile, production will fall from close to 150,000 tonnes to around 40,000 tonnes in 2010, Diario Financiero reports.
In addition, if the Areas Apt for Aquaculture (AAA) do not increase in the country, salmon farming will be unable to produce the levels of production of 700,000 tonnes previous to the ISA virus outbreaks, Puchi says.
“If we want to produce sustainably we will have to conform ourselves with 500,000 tonnes,” Puchi added.
Meanwhile, Senator Carlos Kuschel expressed his rejection of the delay that is taking place in the Congress to approve the new norm.
The salmon farming companies have already "lost nearly the full season,” which implies a loss of 17,000 jobs just in the Region of Los Lagos.
For the senator, the delay lies in the fact that the initiative “is totally poisoned by labour, environmental and touristic aspects.”
Related article:
- Fisheries law adoption pushed back
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
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