Salmon farming is coming to the end of the world

[MilHojas]

Salmon farming is coming to the end of the world​

The Argentinian province of Tierra del Fuego has U-turned on its pioneering decision to ban salmon aquaculture, prompting conservation fears

Salmon farming is coming to the end of the world

The Argentinian province of Tierra del Fuego has U-turned on its pioneering decision to ban salmon aquaculture, prompting conservation fears

dialogue.earth

 

[Stan]

The salmon industry is huge. Norway and Chile are the undisputed heavyweights, each pumping out well over a million tons of farmed salmon annually. Chile's industry was kickstarted decades ago with a massive influx of international capital and expertise, turning into a major economic engine.

Geographically speaking, Argentina has the exact same pristine, cold-water conditions in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego to theoretically build a massive salmon industry and compete head-to-head with those majors.

Until very recently, Argentina had chosen a radically different path. In 2021, the province of Tierra del Fuego passed a landmark law permanently banning open-net salmon farming, prioritizing the environmental preservation of the Beagle Channel and local tourism over industrial aquaculture.

Now the situation just flipped. In a highly controversial move in December 2025, the local government overturned that ban by a single vote. The argument for overturning was the desperate need to compete globally, generate economic growth, and create thousands of jobs. The door is now officially open for international operators to move in, though local environmental groups are actively fighting the expansion.

 

[Bettina]

Wow had no idea Chile had so much of the market. It seems like Argentina could quickly catch up i

The salmon industry is huge. Norway and Chile are the undisputed heavyweights, each pumping out well over a million tons of farmed salmon annually. Chile's industry was kickstarted decades ago with a massive influx of international capital and expertise, turning into a major economic engine.

Geographically speaking, Argentina has the exact same pristine, cold-water conditions in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego to theoretically build a massive salmon industry and compete head-to-head with those majors.

Until very recently, Argentina had chosen a radically different path. In 2021, the province of Tierra del Fuego passed a landmark law permanently banning open-net salmon farming, prioritizing the environmental preservation of the Beagle Channel and local tourism over industrial aquaculture.

Now the situation just flipped. In a highly controversial move in December 2025, the local government overturned that ban by a single vote. The argument for overturning was the desperate need to compete globally, generate economic growth, and create thousands of jobs. The door is now officially open for international operators to move in, though local environmental groups are actively fighting the expansion.

Wow it sounds like Argentina could quickly built this up if they wanted to.