28 JUNE 2025 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG which allowed the transition from a ranching model to a floating cage culture system in southern Chile. This change optimized production processes and consolidated salmon farming as a strategic sector for the national economy, which has evolved in its territorial scope, operating from its beginnings in the Los Lagos Region to cover areas between Biobío and Magallanes regions. This expansion has been marked by the adaptation to different production environments and the incorporation of new technologies, focused on improving the operational efficiency and sustainability of the sector (SalmonChile 2024). The production cycle begins in land-based fish farms, mainly in La Araucanía and Los Lagos regions, where the smolts are developed before being transferred to the sea (Figure 2). The fattening phase takes place in floating cages located in the regions of Los Lagos, Aysén and Magallanes (Figure 3), while the salmon is processed for food in facilities distributed between Biobío and Magallanes, consolidating salmon farming as a key activity in the central and southern Chilean regions. Chile is the second largest producer of salmon worldwide, with 18 companies that together have exceeded one million tonnes per year (SERNAPESCA 2024), registering an average growth of 3.7% per year in the last decade. In 2023, the sector exported 6.5 billion dollars, consolidating itself as the second largest export industry in Chile, only behind copper and surpassing lithium. The main export species are Atlantic salmon, Coho salmon, and Oncorhynchus mykiss (Rainbow trout), with the United States (44%), Japan (15%) and Brazil (13%) as the largest markets (Infosalmonchile 2024). Projections indicate that salmon farming will continue to have a key impact on the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), currently representing 2.1% of the total (SalmonChile 2024). Its contribution goes beyond exports, generating employment, productive chains and demand for goods and services, strengthening the regional economy (Bergoeing 2023). At a global level, the growing demand for proteins with high nutritional value and lower environmental impact positions salmon as a key piece in the food of the future. Its efficiency in feed conversion, lower water use, and low FIGURE 2. Salmon hatchery. Courtesy of Salmones Austral and SalmonChile. FIGURE 3. Salmon farm located at Los Lagos Region. Courtesy of SalmonChile. FIGURE 4. Seed collection systems for Chilean mussel farming. Courtesy of INTEMIT Chilean salmon farming has constantly evolved, driven by environmental, health and regulatory challenges that have raised its standards and encouraged innovation. Today, the key is not only to mitigate impacts, but to anticipate them with technological solutions and evidence-based management. To respond to this scenario, the sector is driving an unprecedented innovation ecosystem in southern Chile.
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