Re-framing salmon aquaculture in the aftermath of the ISAV crisis in Chile

Machiel Lamers,C.S.A (Kris) Van Koppen,Pamela Bachmann-Vargas

doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104358

Machiel Lamers, C.S.A (Kris) Van Koppen + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104358

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Journal: Marine Policy	Publication Date: Dec 9, 2020
Citations: 14	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Wageningen University & Research

Abstract

Globally, aquaculture is expanding rapidly, with salmon becoming one of the most dynamic and fast-growing production systems in the world. Despite its commercial success, Chilean salmon production has navigated through severe economic and sanitary crises; followed by consecutive policy changes. Between 2007 and 2009, the rapid spread and the multiple effects of the Infectious Salmon Anemia virus (ISAV) marked a tipping point in the trajectory of the salmon aquaculture in southern Chile. This paper examines the discursive mechanisms through which the Chilean salmon aquaculture industry is currently being re-framed in the aftermath of the ISAV crisis, with a focus on searching for the emergence of ecosystem-related elements post crisis. The analysis shows that Chilean salmon aquaculture is being re-framed by the reproduction of three main discourses: biosecurity, sustainable protein and The Promise of Patagonia. The paper concludes that despite the staggering effects of the ISAV crisis on the national salmon production and on coastal communities more than a decade ago, new discourses are focused on the legitimization to growth, in the absence of integrated marine ecosystem-related elements, indicating a crucial gap toward environmental sustainability in salmon aquaculture.

Highlights

In the last two decades, the global aquaculture sector has rapidly expanded, and salmon aquaculture has become one of the most dynamic and fast-growing production systems in the world [1]
There seems to be a common understanding about the causes that led to the Infectious Salmon Anemia virus (ISAV) crisis
Three discourses signal a re-framing of na tional policy and aquaculture practices which coexist with a local discourse ofwilling acceptance toward salmon aquaculture and its effects, especially after the ISAV crisis

Summary

Introduction

In the last two decades, the global aquaculture sector has rapidly expanded, and salmon aquaculture has become one of the most dynamic and fast-growing production systems in the world [1]. There has been a lot of attention though with limited application, for the introduction of ecosystem-based approaches in the global aquaculture sector to make sure that production processes and impacts do not exceed ecological and social limits [3,4]. Global salmon production, led by Norway and Chile, has transformed remote coastal areas into industrial and productive nodes in global supply chain networks This economic activity has been a successful enterprise, Chilean production has navigated through severe economic and sanitary crises; followed by consecutive policy changes. The ongoing expansion of the salmon farming activity keeps on raising concerns about the environmental and social impacts [5,6], and calls for the introduction of an ecosystem-based approach to salmon aquaculture [6]

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