ISA

The infectious salmon anemia (ISA) is a disease caused by a virus family Orthomyxoviridae, genus Isavirus. The infection affects the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), mainly fish grown in sea water.

A virus called infectious salmon anemia, or I.S.A., is killing millions of salmon destined for export to Japan, Europe and the United States.

President Michelle Bachelet announced her government will guarantee millions of dollars in loans to struggling salmon companies, which have been hit hard over the past year-and-a-half by an ongoing outbreak of Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA). A highly contagious virus, ISA can be lethal to fish but does not affect humans.

Additionally, Bachelet said Chile will join Canada and Norway in co-financing research to map the salmon genome, “which will allow the country to carry out research to improve the species through variables like growth or resistance.”
The rescue measures were well received by SalmonChile, the country’s principal private producers association. “The measures are a sign of confidence and demonstrate that salmon farming is viable and has a big future in the southernmost regions of the country,” said SalmonChile President César Barros. “We hope the banks cooperate enthusiastically with this initiative and provide the necessary loans.”

The leading national economist Felipe Larrain, who was last Wednesday December 10 at Puerto Montt, confirmed that the current situation affecting the salmon industry in the wake of the spread of the virus ISA will bring a "frank and sharp deceleration" in the The Lakes Region.

Felipe Larrain said that it is wrong to think that the measures announced by the Government are intended only to "save the owners of businesses," adding that "the important thing is to preserve this heritage of the region and the country and provide continuity beyond the crisis ISA.

In SERNAPESCA you can see the quarantine centers list.

Source:

Sernapesca

Salmon Chile

Santiago Times

New York Times

Aqua