Coyhaique — Chilean regulators are blocking a planned surge in salmon production in the Aysén region after farmers proposed nearly tripling the number of fish stocked in one major farming area.

Operators in ACS 33 planned to stock 36.4 million fish in the next production cycle, up from 13.5 million previously — an increase of 169%. That proposed jump pushed the area into Chile’s lowest biosecurity category, triggering tighter limits on future stocking.

The move is not the result of a disease outbreak or environmental deterioration. The area scored relatively well on those measures, with fish losses of 6.4%. Instead, the regulator’s concern is the sheer scale of the planned expansion.

Under the new restrictions, farms in the area face an Atlantic salmon density limit of just 4 kg per cubic metre, compared with as much as 17 kg/m³ in the highest category. The practical effect is clear: the 36.4 million-fish expansion is unlikely to proceed without significant constraints.