Ocean Sentry
The rise of Chile’s fish industry began about a decade ago when international corporations realised there was money to be made in the blue water off a short stretch of coast around Puerto Montt, 600 miles south of the capital Santiago.
The explosion in global demand for salmon and trout led to a rapid expansion of the open net fish farming industry, in which fish are kept in pens in the sea.
“These intensive farms are a recipe for eco-disaster,” said Don Staniford, a campaigner for Pure Salmon, who has made a film to be premiered next month about the fish farming industry and its effects on Chile.
“The inherent problem in farming salmon and sea trout in open net pens is that waste is discharged into the sea, it spreads diseases and parasites that impact on local fish stocks. The fish can also escape, causing a huge imbalance with local fish.” … Read Full Article by Robert Mendick
