Aquaculture for all

Fish farmers to benefit from state-of-the-art diagnostics lab in Chile

Health Technology & equipment Economics +4 more

CHILE - International aquaculture-health company Fish Vet Group (FVG), part of the Benchmark Group, has rolled out its fish-health offering to customers in South America with the launch of a 13,500-square-feet state-of-the-art diagnostic lab in Chile.

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Equipped with robotic diagnostic and digital histology equipment, it is the only health provider in Latin America able to offer it customers this service which enables quicker turn around times and greater accuracy. This equipment allows FVG to send ultra-high-resolution images of histology slides to internal and external partners around the world, facilitating collaboration on a global scale.

Chile is a significant producer within global aquaculture, with salmon a leading export. Over the last decade however the industry has been seriously impacted by disease, which acts as a barrier to sustainable production. Over recent months the industry has been dealing with the impact of a toxic algae bloom in which 23 million fish have died, costing the industry and government $800m.

"Placing a highly experienced and skilled team in Chile to provide a rapid-response service will allow us to quickly identify and manage disease outbreaks to support a healthier, more sustainable future for the industry," said Hernan Pizarro, FVG Managing Director.

Headed up by Javier Moya, Commercial & Operations Manager, the Chilean FVG team will benefit from FVG’s global team of vets, pathologist, technical experts and diagnosticians in Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Brazil, Thailand and North America.

The FVG global team has first-hand knowledge of emerging health issues in their unique regions; this information is circulated among the group, ultimately permitting more effective diagnosis, treatment, and proactive management advice.

"We are delighted to take FVG to a new country and look forward to developing and providing the same high-quality service FVG is renowned for here in Chile. Our primary focus will be supporting the salmon industry but we have expertise across a number species of farmed fish, shellfish and crustaceans, and will continue adding to this to support the future growth of the industry in Chile," said Hamish Rodger, Global Managing Director of FVG.

Established in the UK in 1995 to provide veterinary health services for fish farming operations around the coast of Scotland, FVG has expanded to become the world’s largest dedicated aquaculture health provider with a footprint on four continents and a global team of over 65 veterinary surgeons, diagnosticians, biologists and environmental scientists.

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