The Chilean salmon farming industry utilizes more antibiotics than any other salmon-producing country, including Norway, Canada, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands. This high antibiotic use is primarily driven by the need to combat the endemic bacteria Piscirickettsia salmonis. This bacterium causes significant mortality in farmed salmon, particularly during the marine phase of production, and currently lacks effective vaccines. As the leading cause of antibiotic treatment in Chile, P. salmonis has prompted the industry and government to actively seek solutions to reduce antibiotic reliance and mitigate associated risks.
While Chile boasts one of the highest rates of environmental certification in the salmon farming industry, antibiotic use remains a significant challenge. Addressing this issue effectively requires a concerted and collaborative effort across the sector
In 2019, the Chilean salmon farming industry and the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Seafood Watch launched the Chilean Salmon Antibiotic Reduction Program
(CSARP), with the goal of reducing antibiotic use in that country’s industry by
50% by 2025.
CSARP collect data from 17 Chilean salmon farming companies, representing over 90% of national production. The dataset includes over 6 million tons of harvested salmon from 2017 to 2023.
Antibiotic use in Chilean salmon farming fluctuated between 2020 and 2023. Notably, since the inception of the CSARP partnership, overall antibiotic use has decreased by 42%. (fig 1)
The significant progress in reducing antibiotic use demonstrated by some companies highlights the effectiveness of the CSARP model in promoting sustainable aquaculture. To recognize these achievements and encourage broader industry participation, the Aquarium and its partners launched CSARP+, an initiative designed to acknowledge and incentivize companies actively implementing strategies to minimize antibiotic consumption.
Reducing the use of antibiotics is a complex challenge that requires industry action and collaboration with government, academia, and nongovernmental organizations.