Sernapesca released relevant information on the use of antimicrobials in aquaculture. (Photo: Sernapesca)

Salmon industry used 186.4 tonnes of antimicrobials in first semester

CHILE
Friday, November 16, 2018, 23:40 (GMT + 9)

The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA) has released a report on the use of antimicrobials in the Chilean salmon industry, during the period between January and June of this year.

This information is obtained when compiling the data that the farming companies declare monthly to the platform of the Information System for the Control of Aquaculture (SIFA), the first days of each month.

SERNAPESCA has developed a plan to reduce the use of antimicrobials in national salmon farming, which aims to reduce the use of antimicrobials and prevent the risk of emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, based on several specific objectives.

Amount of antimicrobials (active ingredient), biomass harvested from salmon and annual Antibiotic Consumption Index (%). (Photo: Sernapesca)

This plan contains 11 strategies and within the framework of one of them it is proposed as an action to "promote the transparency of information through improvements in the report on the use of antimicrobials".

Due to the above, the present report has included the antimicrobial use index of the Salmonid Concession Groups (ACS) that completed their productive cycle during the last semester, calculated on the basis of the quantity of antimicrobials used during the productive period and the biomass produced (sum of the harvest and mortality), during the same period.

Index (%) and Quantity (t) of antimicrobials obtained and administered from year 2007 to the first semester of the year 2018. (Photo: Sernapesca)

In the report, SERNAPESCA indicates that the quantity of antibiotics used in the salmon industry is equivalent to 186.4 tonnes of active ingredient. It also specifies that for the first half of this year, the consumption index (percentage ratio between the amount of antimicrobial used and the harvested tonnes of biomass) corresponds to 0.048 per cent.

Of the total amount of antimicrobials, 94.4 per cent was administered in the sea phase and 5.6 per cent in the freshwater phase, similar figures obtained during the year 2017.

Percentage distribution of the quantity of antimicrobials administered by Active Principle, SIFA 1st semester year 2018. (Photo: Sernapesca)

Of the total of antimicrobials used in the freshwater phase, 85.3 per cent corresponded to oxytetracycline, 8.3 per cent to florfenicol and 6.3 per cent to erythromycin. In the case of the sea, 93.8 per cent corresponded to florfenicol, 5.7 per cent to oxytetracycline and 0.5 per cent to flumequine.

Of the total amount of antimicrobials administered per species in freshwater phase, 49.8 per cent was for Atlantic salmon, 39.1 per cent for rainbow trout and 11.2 per cent for coho salmon. At sea, 93.1 per cent corresponded to Atlantic salmon, 5.5 per cent was for rainbow trout and 1.4 per cent was for coho salmon.

Percentage distribution of the amount of antibiotic administered by Species, SIFA 1st semester year 2018. (Photo: Sernapesca)

A total of antimicrobials administered according to the diagnosis, in freshwater 55.3 per cent was for flavobacteriosis, 44.5 per cent was for renibacteriosis and 0.28 per cent was for other diseases. In the case of the sea, SERNAPESCA highlights that 98.3 per cent was for piscirickettsiosis, 1.3 per cent was for renibacteriosis, 0.4 per cent was for furunculosis and 0.07 per cent was for other diseases.

Regarding the distribution of antimicrobial use according to the region, the report outlines that, in freshwater, 45.8 per cent was used in Los Lagos region, 36.1 per cent in La Araucanía and 15.7 per cent in Los Rios. At sea, 64.5 per cent was used in the Aysén region, 34.7 per cent in Los Lagos and 0.9 per cent in Magallanes.

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