AquaChile
Harm on record. Has recent confirmed harm to workers that it hasn't put right.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 10 sources
Chilean farmed salmon producer owned by meat group Agrosuper.
Linked to Unsafe or deadly workplaces
In 2026, a contract diver died while working at one of AquaChile's salmon farms.
Also worth knowing
There's no public record of AquaChile putting this right.
Better-graded salmon and farmed fish
Graded higher than AquaChile, selling the same kinds of things.
No salmon and farmed fish brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
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Compare AquaChile with another brand
Why it's graded Harm on record
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, clear breaches of labour conditions and a problem with pay, rights or safety with no fix shown. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- Holds the grade back: It's Harm on record because of a serious confirmed problem from the last 5 years with no public record of it being put right: deadly safety failure, last recorded in 2026.
Good requirements 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsA confirmed problem counts against it: deadly safety failure, last recorded in 2026
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Not met: Traces its catch to the boat or farm and has crews' or farm workers' conditions checked independently
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Clear breaches of labour conditions
- Red flag: A confirmed problem with pay, rights or safety not shown to be put rightShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From AquaChile's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: fishing fleets and processing plants have some of the worst documented forced labour, including trafficked crews held at sea for years.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Traces most of its fish and seafood to named fishing boats or farms
- It traces some of its catch or holds environmental labels such as MSC, ASC or BAP, but doesn't show both that its catch is traced to the boat or farm and that crews' or farm workers' conditions are checked independently. Source
Research notes AquaChile, Chile's largest salmon farmer, raises and processes its salmon at its own farms and plants in Patagonia, and sold its Costa Rican tilapia farms in 2021-22. Some farms hold ASC and BAP certification, but no share of output is given and no GRASP or other independent worker audit is reported. Diving at Chilean salmon farms is dangerous: 44 divers died in accidents from 2004 to 2022. AquaChile and Camanchaca sent the first Chilean salmon to Australia in November 2024, but no Australian retailer selling AquaChile salmon is named.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| KnowTheChain | Not covered | Neither AquaChile nor its parent Agrosuper is among the 45 companies assessed in the 2026 KnowTheChain food and beverage benchmark. View |
Confirmed issues 2
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Diver Víctor Guerrero, employed by contractor El Tridente, died in June 2026 while working at AquaChile's Serrano salmon farm near Melinka, Aysén; the Navy and prosecutors are investigating (SeafoodSource, Fish Farming Expert, 2026). Source · archived copy | Not knownAquaChile expressed regret, said it was supporting those affected and cooperating with the authorities; no findings or changes reported yet. |
| 2023 | Chile's Labour Directorate imposed nine sanctions worth 352 UTM on AquaChile Magallanes after a Puerto Natales inspection found breaches of special working-hour schedules and no drinking water, first-aid kit or fire extinguishers on cages (Labour Ministry). Source · search the archive | Not knownNo source says what AquaChile changed after the fines. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Ecoceanos reported that diver Héctor Lagos, working for subcontractor Passub at an AquaChile farm, died in February 2021 of decompression sickness after waiting about eight hours to reach hospital; health and labour authorities opened investigations (Ecoceanos, 2021). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 10
Show all 10 sources
- 2026 KnowTheChain Food and Beverage Benchmark (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre) · search the archive · 45 companies assessed; AquaChile and Agrosuper not included
- Dirección del Trabajo cursa nuevas multas a empresas salmoneras (Chilean Labour Ministry) · search the archive · AquaChile Magallanes received 9 sanctions (352 UTM) for working-hours and safety breaches after a Puerto Natales inspection
- AquaChile receives ASC and BAP certification for three salmon centers (SeafoodSource, 2018) · search the archive · Three named farms ASC and BAP certified, 12 BAP certified; no share of all farms given
- AquaChile takes USD 36 million loss in Costa Rica tilapia divestiture (SeafoodSource) · search the archive · AquaChile sold its Costa Rican tilapia operations
- Chilean authorities investigate diver's death at AquaChile farming center (SeafoodSource, 2026) · archived copy · Contract diver Víctor Guerrero died at AquaChile's Serrano farm; 44 fatal diving accidents at Chilean salmon farms 2004-2022
- AquaChile exhibitor profile (Seafood Expo Global) · search the archive · Largest salmon farmer in Chile; salmon raised and processed in Patagonia; ASC, BAP and GLOBALG.A.P. certifications
- Empresas AquaChile SA 2024 Integrated Report (sustainabilityreports.com) · search the archive · 5,889 collaborators in 2024
- AquaChile expresses deep regret over death of diver (Fish Farming Expert, 2026) · search the archive · Diver died about 5 June 2026 at Serrano farm, Melinka; Navy and prosecutors investigating; AquaChile response
- When a worker's life is worth less than a salmon (Ecoceanos, 2021) · search the archive · Diver working for subcontractor Passub died at an AquaChile farm in February 2021; investigations opened
- The first Chilean salmon arrives in Australia (WeAreAquaculture, 2024) · search the archive · AquaChile and Camanchaca sent the first fresh Chilean salmon fillets to Australia; no retailers named
Company details
- Owned by
- Agrosuper (Chile)
- Headquarters
- Chile
- Employees
- About 5,889
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is AquaChile ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/aquachile, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Harm on record means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent AquaChile.