Chile algal bloom highlights threats

AN algal bloom that killed 2.7 million salmon across three locations in Chile has highlighted the risks in the salmon farming sector, industry leaders said today.
Marine Harvest lost the fish after the rapid build up of algae around its farms in Chile. The Norway owned company said the remaining 200,000 fish are also ‘most likely lost’, Aberdeen’s Press and Journal reported today.
Although the company is insured against such disasters, the episode has highlighted the environmental threats to fish farmers.
‘Algal blooms are a phenomenon which occur in many parts of the world and potentially could affect aquaculture anywhere,’ said Steve Bracken, Marine Harvest Scotland’s business support manager.
The Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation’s chief executive, Scott Landsburgh, told the P&J: ‘Jelly fish and algal blooms can be influenced by environmental conditions and under certain circumstances may cause challenges for salmon farmers.
‘Satellite imagery is used to monitor for algal blooms on a national scale and this helps farmers respond to any potential problems.’