What You Really Need to Know About Antibiotic Use in Chilean Salmon Farming
Activist-fueled propaganda and the media coverage it drives has portrayed Chile’s salmon industry as “awash” in “high levels of antibiotics…used to fight diseases” (“Salmon Farming in Chile: The Ugly Truth) —a narrative that distorts the realities, regulations, and progress made in responsible aquaculture practices.
A dead giveaway that you may have encountered this kind of misinformation is that the source frames the use of medicine in aquaculture as entirely discretionary or primarily driven by business considerations. The reality is that there is extensive regulatory oversight of the use of medicines, and they are administered only by independent veterinarians in accord with their considered medical opinion. Furthermore, there is a strict residue-testing protocols required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means that the farmed Chilean salmon you eat is antibiotic free.
Moreover, Chile’s salmon sector has embraced alternative approaches—such as targeted vaccination, improved biosecurity, and the exploration of probiotics—to further reduce antibiotic use. None of these details make for an easy fit in narratives that rely on shock value.
Below, we highlight some frequently quoted claims and demonstrate why these depictions fail to align with the on-the-ground facts regarding antibiotic use, fish health, and food safety.
“Rampant Antibiotics” vs. Real-World Veterinary Oversight
One article proclaims that “The Chilean salmon industry’s rampant use of antibiotics is once again under the microscope” (“Chile’s Salmon Industry Using Record Levels of Antibiotics to Combat Bacterial Outbreak” By EcoWatch, Jun 14, 2016). The wording—“rampant use”—suggests a complete lack of controls or regulatory limits.
In truth, Chilean law mandates that antibiotics be administered only under prescription from a licensed, independent veterinarian. Farmers do not have the legal authority to dispense these medications arbitrarily. To do so would violate not just Chilean regulations but the globally accepted norms that govern the responsible use of animal medicines.
Microbes remain a genuine threat in aquaculture just as they do to every animal- and plant-based food source on the planet. So it is deeply misleading to suggest Chile’s aquaculture industry is somehow unique in this way. Medical interventions happen by necessity, not casual decision. Producers face strict documentation requirements that track the type, dosage, and duration of each treatment to ensure compliance with both Chilean and international guidelines.
Suggesting Antibiotics Are Driven Solely by “Feedlot” Conditions
A frequently used smear spread by anti-aquaculture extremists is describing net-pen salmon farms as “floating feedlots” that “promote…the spread of diseases and pests…resulting in the need for antibiotics” (“The Salmon on Your Plate Has a Troubling Cost…” By Melissa Clark, Oct 23, 2023). This line of attack insinuates the use of antibiotics are the consequence of unrestrained, factory-like operations. That’s demonstrably false, as anyone who has visited a salmon farm off the coast of Patagonia can attest. Simply put, our farmers raise fish in fresh, clean ocean waters.
What’s more, Chilean salmon producers have made substantial investments in preventive health protocols, including:
Vaccination: Preventive immunization against common bacterial pathogens has significantly reduced antibiotic reliance over the past decade.
Improved Biosecurity: New site-management strategies and rigorous disinfection regimens help curb the transmission of disease from pen to pen.
These advancements acknowledge that illnesses can occur in any farming context. But Chile’s salmon farmers are removing potential pathogens at the source.
High Antibiotic Levels: Misreading Past Data and Ignoring Current Tests
Some activist-driven content misrepresents old data to imply that Chilean salmon on store shelves could somehow contain residual medicines. But this falsehood ignores the most critical part of the antibiotic timeline: withdrawal periods and residue testing before harvest.
Under strict international and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules, salmon can only be approved for export if it meets strict, and precise standards for antibiotic residues—meaning levels are infinitesimal or completely nondetectable. Any product that does not meet these standards is barred from the supply chain. So consumers can be confident that the Chilean salmon they eat is safe and nutritious.
Moreover activists routinely ignore the Chilean industry’s meaningful progress in illness prevention, improved vaccines and stricter oversight, with the most recent data telling a story of industry-wide shifts in antibiotic use.
The Bigger Picture: Why These Distortions Matter
Alarmist narratives rely on garish language, misrepresentation of the data, and pure insinuation to paint a portrait of Chilean aquaculture that’s unrecognizable to anyone who has actually seen it up close. Not only does this inflame consumer fears, it also clouds the efforts of conscientious veterinarians, producers, and regulators who strive to safeguard fish health.
Consumer Confidence: Exaggerated claims about drug-laden salmon jeopardize trust in a nutritious, affordable protein source.
Local Livelihoods: Chilean salmon farming supports tens of thousands of workers—people whose employment depends on compliance with strict regulations and ongoing innovation in fish health management.
Public Health: Misattributing antibiotic resistance solely to aquaculture distracts attention from more comprehensive solutions that address human misuse of antibiotics, other livestock sectors, and broader environmental factors.
These harms aren’t occurring by accident. Many reporters are drawing upon prefabricated narratives crafted by dark-money fueled activist groups whose stated purpose is to destroy the industry. Funding or logistical support from these networks can further promote distorted accounts that pollute the public discourse and hurt ordinary people.