What’s The News?
At the beginning of the new year, we shared that Verlasso is committed to becoming an even greener and more sustainable aquaculture company. With this commitment in mind, there are many exciting changes we plan on implementing over the next few years.
One profound change is that we are in the process of working through details in an effort to seed new sites in Region XII of Magallanes.
Why Explore This Region?
Verlasso has always worked under a mandate of continuous improvement. Beginning with our ground breaking feed, pen densities and much more! Our current salmon pens reside in an area of Patagonian Chile known as Region XI of Aysen. This area has provided us with so many learnings as we grew over the last eight years. Though this region is remote and has a sparse population, Region XII of Magallanes, is even more isolated and pristine allowing us to improve our already sustainable farming practices that much further. Far from environmental pollutants, the Magallanes region is in the southernmost part of the country.
Due to the strong currents and lower water temperatures in this area, the waters of the Magallanes provide a natural and continuous filtration system. Needless to say, this region’s cold, immaculate waters are ideal for raising quality fish.
And if you love nature, the region is also spectacularly beautiful with fjords, channels and islands galore!
What Is The Impact?
Year over year, at Verlasso, we explore how we can improve. This drive brought us the understanding for a need to diversify usage of resources in the region. We want our salmon to have enough space to develop, with as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible.
We also wanted to support a community of indigenous people to learn the important world of sustainable aquaculture and all that it can support. Through this effort, we will be able to educate a local community on the practices of ethical aquaculture in a way that preserves the region and its waters for generations to come.
As our General Manager Moises del Rio said so well, “We believe we must address the issues facing our oceans first. Ocean vitality touches us all and is intrinsically linked to our food supply. We must evolve our relationship to the ocean’s resources where we farm. It is through our commitment in 2019 to adopt the most sustainable farming practices available that we can ensure this region is well cared for.”
When Will We See The Magallanes Fish?
The first salmon fully raised from egg to harvest in Region XII are anticipated to be harvested in 2020.
We’re excited to be sharing this journey with our followers, and in addition to updates and events, renowned chef Andrew Zimmern (host of Travel Channel's “Bizarre Foods” and “The Zimmern List”) will be joining us on our #FollowThatSalmon journey.
Andrew’s shared passion in sustainability and global civics makes him the perfect partner to help Verlasso document our new standards for sustainably-raised salmon worldwide.
Photo courtesy of The Travel Channel