Active And Associative R+D+I Reshaping The Future Of Chilean Salmon Industry

A very dynamic process of transfer and adaptation of technology in the 80 ́s essentially promoted by Foundation Chile was fundamental to trigger the salmon industry in the country.

This allowed an effective and successful innovative process that created in a matter of little more than 3 decades a new relevant economic sector in the country, presently producing around 900.000 Ton, representing more than 5 billion dollars exports to more than 70 countries, and involving around 30,000 workers.

The initial success rested also on very good environmental conditions for salmon and trout farming, availability of well-qualified local professionals and researchers, crucial raw material, specifically for feed, supplied by fisheries and agro industry from Chile and neighbor countries and a legal framework that stimulated investment in this activity, particularly in Southern remote and poorest zones of the country [1].