Salmon farming giants AquaChile and Mowi are the latest victims of an algal bloom outbreak in Chile's Aysen region that has now claimed 2,666 metric tons of salmon biomass.
By Wednesday, 2,177 metric tons of dead fish had been cleared away at sites in the region operated by AquaChile, Mowi Chile, Blumar and Salmones Pacific Star, a division of Salmones Austral, according to Chile's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca).
The bloom, which hit the company's Orestes, Isla Ester and Punta Rouse sites in the Aysen region, was first identified on Friday, Jan. 7, taking out 1,230 metric tons.
Mortalities are expected to reach 25 percent of fish kept at the production site, the company said.
Before the incident, the company calculated that there were approximately 792,278 Atlantic salmon weighing an average of 692 grams at the site.
AquaChile executives are unsure from where Sernapesca got its information but they say authorities have been informed of the situation.
Mowi Chile was also contacted by IntraFish but like AquaChile has not yet provided up to date numbers.
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