Around 95 percent of the dead salmon linked to mass die-offs in Chile's Aysen and Los Lagos regions have been removed from production sites, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) said in a Tuesday update.
As removal efforts continue, 5,384 of 5,698 metric tons of dead salmon have so far been removed, according to the agency.
Low oxygen levels and blooms in the two regions have caused losses equivalent to 3.5 percent of the total active biomass in the affected areas.
By Tuesday, 14 farms maintained active contingency action plans against mass mortalities, six in Los Lagos and eight in Aysen, with 3,126 metric tons of mortalities in Los Lagos, equivalent to 13 percent of the active biomass, and 2,563 metric tons in Aysen, corresponding to 2 percent.
In the Aysen region, four production sites were able to remove high-alert contingency procedures and four others decreased their mortality to low levels and will be able to end their contingency procedures when environmental conditions allow.
In Los Lagos, Salmones Camanchaca has borne the brunt of the outbreak.
Chile's transition from summer to autumn at this time of year typically brings a higher risk of algal blooms and lower oxygen levels as higher water temperatures combine with increased precipitation to raise nutrient levels in the sea.
Algae can cause oxygen levels in the water to be lower. It can settle on the gills of the fish, making it even more difficult for them to absorb oxygen.
