Salmon is one of the most important aquaculture species in several regions of the world.

Characteristics of salmon production

Salmon is a species of fish belonging to the genus Salmon and usually inhabits most of the world’s oceans and seas. Some species of salmon are characterized as anadromous animals since they are born in salt waters and later reproduce in freshwaters. Others of these species only live in freshwaters located in Europe and Asia, migrating between them, or remaining in certain rivers or lakes.

Salmon is a brownish fish on the back and white on the belly, with spots on the sides. Its flesh is characterized by its reddish color and good taste. There are mainly two types of salmon produced: Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) and Coho or Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

Salmon farming is noted for having environmental advantages over other fish species. Salmon farming has a low carbon footprint that is increasingly being reduced thanks to improvements in the breeding and reproduction of this fish.

Salmon farming is among the most resource-efficient productions on the planet. Salmon has a feed conversion factor of 1.2 to 1.5, like broiler chicken. In addition, it requires less water to produce 1 kg of meat, making its carbon footprint the smallest of all animal species produced.

The nutritional properties of salmon

Salmon is one of the favorite animal proteins in the gastronomy of many countries around the world thanks to its nutritional properties. This fish is characterized by its good taste and quality. In addition, this meat is good for health because it has a low content of saturated fats and calories, as well as being an outstanding source of unsaturated fatty acids such as Omega-3.

The Omega-3 provided by salmon is recognized for being anti-inflammatory, lowering blood pressure, reducing the accumulation of atheromatous plaques, improving the functioning of the nervous system, and reducing triglycerides in the blood.

The fat content of salmon is moderate, providing 11 g of fat per 100 g of flesh, similar to sardines or tuna. It is also one of the fish species least affected by mercury accumulation.

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Salmon production in the regions of the world

The main salmon-producing countries are Norway with 37% and Chile with 26%. The rest of the production is distributed by continents such as the European Union with 16%, Asia with 12%, Latin America with 7%, and the rest of the world with 2%.

Norway

Norway’s production is the largest in the world and continues to grow in recent years. In 2020, Norway exported about 1.1 million tons of salmon worth USD 8.3 billion. This figure represented an increase in export volume of 2% compared to 2019. This has been recorded as a record in global aquaculture.

This growth is attributed to increased global demand following the COVID-19 pandemic as retail markets have multiplied their interest in the product. The main destination for Norwegian salmon is the European Union, mainly countries such as Poland, Denmark, and the Netherlands; it is also exported to China, Lithuania, and Hong Kong.

In Norwegian aquaculture production, fisheries account for 30% of the value of exported products and aquaculture for 70%. In terms of volume, fishing represents 55% and aquaculture 45%.

Chile

The main producer of salmon in Latin America is Chile, which is positioned as the second most important producer of this fish, accounting for 25% of world production.

According to recent figures, Chile’s salmon exports have doubled in the last 10 years. In 2010 Chile exported 6.9% of non-copper goods to 14.1% in 2019, denoting the prominent role of salmon in the commercial exports of this Latin American country.

The main destinations for Chilean salmon have been the United States, Brazil, Japan, Russia, and China. These countries account for 82% of Chile’s salmon exports.

Like Norway, in Chile, the salmon trade has grown thanks to the demand from hotel chains and restaurants, as well as online sales that have multiplied during 2021.

The average annual growth in salmon exports in Chile has remained at 10.2% during the last 3 years. The regions with the highest production are Los Lagos with 42.2%, Aysén with 40.5%, and Magallanes with 17%. These three regions produce about 99% of the salmon in Chile.

In Chile’s salmon farming, Atlantic salmon accounted for 80.7% of the export volume with 513 million tons in September 2021. Coho salmon reached 84.4 million tons, representing a growth of 11.7% over 2020.

Infectious diseases affecting salmon

Pancreatic disease

This viral disease is caused by an Alphavirus of great economic importance in Europe. This virus causes lesions in the heart, pancreas, and muscles. Affected fish reduce feed intake and begin to swim erratically.

Infectious Salmon Anemia

This disease is caused by the ISA virus (Infectious Salmon Anaemia) of the Orthomyxoviridae family. Affected fish suffer from anemia but may remain asymptomatic. Transmission is horizontal through urine, feces, and other fluids, and enters orally or through the gills.

Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis

This disease is caused by IPVN (Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus) of the Birnavirus family. It can affect young salmon and is rapidly and widely transmitted. This disease causes high mortality and surviving animals are carriers.

Fish taeniasis or Diphyllobothriasis

Infection by the parasite Diphyllobothrium (a tapeworm) is of great worldwide importance in salmon farming. This disease is zoonotic, and the parasite can be transmitted to humans, dogs, and pigs by consumption of infected raw fish. The presence of this parasite has been detected in salmon farms in Chile and is therefore of interest in public health and aquaculture.

Other salmon diseases

Other diseases of infectious origin can affect salmon farms in the world:

– Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia.

– Infectious hematopoietic necrosis.

– Psicirickettsia salmonis

– Renibacterium Salmoninarum

– Vibriosis

– Aeromona salmonicida

– Myxoboliasis

Improving salmon production

The diseases described previously can be controlled through good management practices, a correct sanitary plan, and the application of pronutrients that improve salmon physiology. In this way, multiple approaches can be applied to improve salmon production.

Alquermix Salmons, developed by Biovet S.A., contain pronutrients that contribute to optimize the intestinal welfare and the immune system of salmon, providing them with resistance and adaptability to diseases.

This product of natural origin also contains inorganic acids that reduce the digestive pH; it has enzymes that improve the digestibility of the feed supplied during the culture stages where the fry lacks them. Therefore, the product maintains the balance of the intestinal flora of the fish, which prevents mycotoxicosis and improves the growth rate in salmonids. This has been proven in field studies where supplemented salmon with Alquermix Salmons had a higher weight at the end (3%) and a higher carcass yield by 6.03%.

CONCLUSIONS

Salmon is one of the most important species in aquaculture world. This sector has been growing in recent decades and is projected to continue growing. This fish species has several qualities that make it attractive to the fish farming sector: excellent nutritional properties, environmental sustainability, low resource use, and a growing market.

Among the most outstanding nutritional properties of salmon is its high omega-3 content, which has multiple benefits for human health. It is also a low-cost protein with a moderate percentage of fat.

On the other hand, the largest producers of this species are Norway and Chile. The Norwegian market has been growing during 2021 and increasing its export volume. Meanwhile, the Chilean salmon market continues to represent an important income for this country and is set as the most important fish in the fish farming sector.

Finally, it should be noted that some diseases of infectious origin must be studied and controlled in production farms. These diseases are highly contagious and can compromise the health and economics of a region if they are not constantly monitored.