Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing funding for a USD 4.5 million (EUR 5.2 million) project led by Chile’s Universidad de La Frontera to develop an early-warning system to predict, detect, and monitor red tides in southern Chile.
In 2016, red tides in southern Chile killed about 110,000 salmon and caused losses to the seafood industry of about USD 800 million (EUR 690.1 million). In addition to playing host to a thriving salmon farming industry, Southern Chile has significant bivalve production. Bivalves, including mussels, can be rendered toxic and inedible by red tides.
The main cause of red tides is the abnormal proliferation of phytoplankton, which leads to the discoloration of the sea, rivers, and lakes. Researchers think that one of the causes of the plankton proliferation is the outflow of domestic or factory wastewater to the sea, which increases the levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in seawater.
According to a JICA publication “JICA’s World” (April 2018), Japanese universities and research institutes at Kyoto University, Okayama University, and Japan’s National Research Institute of Fisheries Science joined three universities in Chile in a collaborative research project aimed at developing a method for predicting red tides at an early stage. The project started in April 2018.
The study is seeking to identify the specific agent that causes red tide. To do so, seawater samples will be collected and subjected to genetic analysis. Different from conventional research, the project will not focus on plankton as elemental substances, but will regard red tide as an ecosystem of microorganisms including algae, viruses, and bacteria, and will work to determine which agent causes the growth of red tide plankton. Once the causal substances are identified, the researchers will develop a kit that can detect only those components of seawater. The ultimate goal is to develop a system for monitoring seawater and predicting the occurrence of red tides.
Previous research by Chile’s Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (Fisheries Development Institute), has been based on the hypothesis that red tides come from the south with the ocean currents. Researchers hope data supporting this hypothesis will be helpful to the project.
If the proposed system can alert salmon and shellfish farmers and local independent fishers, they may be able to take preventive measures before a red tide occurs. Researchers predicts such precautionary actions will include stopping the feeding of fish so as not to increase the nutrient content of the sea water, and moving fish to a location that will not be affected by the red tide.
