A Colombian veterinarian specialized in fish is roaming through Patagonia: In search of protecting the health of our trout

When the production manager of Salmon Trout invited Santiago Ortega, a young veterinarian specializing in fish health, to travel over 6,000 kilometers to Argentine Patagonia, this professional did not hesitate for a second. It was not the climate or landscape that convinced him, but rather the possibility of re-focusing his work. While in his country he was responsible for treating fish lots in breeding facilities based on detected diseases, with mortality peaks reaching 25% to 30%, here the challenge involved working preventively, ensuring a health status that the main players in the global aquaculture business envy. Of course, here the activity is almost virgin and therefore still remains safe from some ailments. "For me it's something curious. I was very surprised the first time. In Colombia, different diseases are present, and finding a production like this was incredible. The project they told me about was to manage breeders and genetics. That was a great challenge because I ...