Chile: Seafood landings rose by 24 per cent in the first five months

According to the latest Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector Report of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SUBPESCA), the fishing sector contributed 1.1 million tonnes between January and May 2014.

85.6 per cent of landings in the capture sector was composed of pelagic resources while demersal resources accounted for 1.2 per cent; those connected to the southern austral demersal fishery represented 1.1 per cent and other resources constituted the remaining 12.1 per cent.

Sardine, anchovy and horse mackerel landings respectively represented 35 per cent, 33.7 per cent and 21.7 per cent of the accumulated capture sector landings until May 2014. These landings were concentrated in Regions V and X (67.1 per cent of the total); in the zones from XV to II (28.8 per cent) and in Regions III and IV (4.1 per cent).

As to catches of demersal fisheries, up to May 2014 a total of 5,945 tonnes of hake was landed, 3.1 per cent more than in the same period of 2013 (5,765 tonnes).

The main contribution came from the artisanal fleet, with 3,400 tonnes while industrial vessels landed 2,500 tonnes.

SUBPESCA also reported that the accumulated landing of hake up to May this year totalled 9,400 tonnes, 39.5 per cent less than in 2013 (15,520 tonnes).

The landing of Chilean sea bass (toothfish) was 758 tonnes up to May 2014, that is to say, 20.5 per cent less than in the first five months of 2013 (953 tonnes).

Between last January and May 512 tonnes of kingclip were also landed, compared to 690 tonnes in the same period last year, that is to say, 25.8 per cent less.

Meanwhile, in the first five months of this year the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA) reported that aquaculture harvests totalled 477,505 tonnes, which represents a decrease of 8.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2013 when 522,115 tonnes were harvested.

The main products nationally produced were Atlantic salmon, mussels and rainbow trout, which accounted for 51 per cent, 25.7 per cent and 12.3 per cent of the total harvest.

Regions X and XI generated most of the harvest: a total of 293,000 tonnes and 167,200 tonnes, respectively.

The Atlantic salmon harvests totalled 243,460 tonnes, 16.8 per cent more than the cumulative volume between January and May 2013 (208,357 tonnes). Most production was from Regions XI (139,200 tonnes) and X (91,300 tonnes).

The harvests of mussels accumulated through May totalled 123,000 tonnes, 28.6 per cent less than in the same period in 2013 (172,306 tonnes). 100 per cent of harvests came from Region X.

Meanwhile, rainbow trout harvests totalled 58,600 tonnes as of May 2014, 13.7 per cent less than the accumulated volume in the same period in 2013 (67,860 tonnes). Most of the production came from Regions X (41,300 tonnes) and XI (16,100 tonnes).

Best prices explain strong salmon export growth

Between January and May, Chilean salmon exports generated USD 1,993.6 million in revenue, an amount that shows an increase of 40.1 per cent from USD 1,422.1 million recorded in the same period of the previous year.

The volume exported in this period reached 247,693 tonnes of salmon, representing 5 per cent less compared to 260,580 tonnes exported in the first five months of 2013.

According to a report by InfoTrade for Aqua, the average price from January to May stood at USD 8.05/kg, that is to say 47.4 per cent more than in the same period last year (USD 5.46/kg).

This average value was determined to significantly increase returns despite lower volumes.

Between January and May this year, Empresas AquaChile became leader in terms of returns, with sales for USD 267 million.

Cermaq Chile was ranked second with sales for USD 186 million; and further back was positioned Los Fiordos with sales for USD 168 million.