The impact of a national strike by Chilean truck drivers is likely to continue to drive shortages in the US market in the coming days, market sources told IntraFish.

Drivers began what their leader is calling an "indefinite" strike at midnight on Thursday.

By blocking parts of the country's main highway network, their aim is to speed up the approval of a series of laws to halt violent attacks on drivers in the southern part of the South American nation.

"We are seeing a big shortage of salmon," Sebastian Goycoolea, CEO of Chilean salmon supplier BluGlacier told IntraFish.

"Trucks are not taking fish from plants to the airport so I think we are going to see a shortage in the market."

Another salmon supplier to the US market reported being short of three days production after Chilean producers processed what they could until Wednesday afternoon, allowing their consignments to catch the last cargo flights before highways were blocked.

Against the background of the strike, the supplier is endeavoring to serve contract accounts, citing inter-trade prices for next week already as high as $4.50 per pound for D-Trim fillet (FOB Miami) compared with $3.50 for this week.

"People are trying to get fish in any way possible," the supplier told IntraFish.

Buyers hunting for replacements for Chilean product are finding Norwegian salmon quoted at $5.50-$6 per pound and Canadian fish in the low $5 per pound range.

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News of positive dialogue in the truck strike has filtered through to Cesar Lago, president of Camanchaca's US office although he still expects there to be a shortfall in the next few days.

Lago said from what he has heard he is optimistic roads in Chile will reopen although it will be Monday before there is a clearer picture of events.

"We are seeing the market tightening, showing an increase of 20 cents a pound just reflecting that people know they are going to be short over the weekend," Lago told IntraFish.

"There is going to be shortages there is no doubt. This might create a bit of a short-term pinch."

Should the strike be resolved by Monday, Lago said he thinks volumes should return to normal between Thursday and Saturday next week.

Chile's south-central Araucania region has seen a sharp increase in attacks on transport trucks and factories in recent months as part of conflict between indigenous Mapuche groups and the authorities.

An incident that saw a nine-year-old girl hospitalized with a gunshot wound after an attack on her father's cement truck was the last straw for drivers, leading them to take action.

Prices

Chile salmon shortage sparks scramble for product