Argentina-Fish farming.

ARGENTINA

FISH FARMING.

The depleted fishing beds of the South Atlantic, have made fish farming flavor of the month in Argentina.

Chile has been successful, with exports of farmed Salmon coming to US$3 billion a year, the south of Argentina is identical in climate and terrene.

Fish farming is expanding in Argentina, fueled by the demands of a global market that is facing the stagnation of commercial fishing.

According to the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 40 % of the fish consumed in the world, now comes from fish farming.

Current production is 48 million tons a year, which will be doubled in the next 20 years, according to the FAO

Currently fish farms in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, produce volumes, that are the envy of Argentina.

Chile has a production of 710,000 tons per year, and is one of the top ten leading producers in the world, alongside China and India.

It is also the worlds second largest producer of farmed salmon, after Canada.

In September of 2008, the outbreak of infectious anaemia in salmon, closed down many fish farms in Chile and cost 55,000 jobs.

According to Laura Luchini, of Aquaculture Argentina, " some provincial governments are promoting this sector, but our job is to ensure they keep their feet firmly on the ground, prior to entering".

There has been limited trout farming in Patagonia, but only a production of 3,000 tons per year.