Fillinger, Laura

Försterra, G.

Häussermann, V.

Richter, Claudio

English

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Salmon farming in Chilean Patagonia:A growing threat for cold water corals?Laura Fillingera, Günter Försterrab,c, Verena Häussermannb,c and Claudio Richteraa Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germanyb Huinay Scientific Field Station, Puerto Montt, Chilec Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, ChileContact:Laura FillingerPhD studentReferences:1. FAO, 2010, The state of the world fisheries and aquaculture 2010, Food and Agriculture Organization,Rome.2. Cairns S.D., V. Häussermann and G. Foersterra, 2005, A review of the Scleractinia (Cnidaria,Anthozoa) of Chile, with the description of two new species”, Zootaxa, 1018, p 15-46.3. Häussermann, V. and G. Försterra, 2007, Large assemblages of cold-water corals in Chile: a summaryof recent findings and potential impacts”, 195-207 in George R. Y. and S. D. Cairns, eds, Conservationand adaptive management of seamount and deep-sea coral ecosystems, Rosenstiel School of Marineand Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, 324 p.Fish aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry in Chilean Patagonia andthe country is currently the second largest producer of farmed salmonafter Norway, accounting for 28% of the world production[1], althoughthe cultured species are not native to the region.Several species of cold water Scleractinia[2,3] and Stylasteridae[4] havebeen found in surprisingly shallow water along the southern Chileanfjords (Fig. 1), making them more accessible to research but also topollution. Is salmon farming threatening those unique ecosystems?Salmon farming in ChileAquaculture is the fourth largesteconomic activity in Chile and fish hasbecome the dominant product overthe past 15 years (Fig. 2).In 2008, 630 000 tons of fish havebeen produced by chilean farmers,75% of which were salmon species[5] .Patagonian cold water coralsThree species of scleractinian corals havebeen found in Chilean fjords at SCUBA-reachable depths : Desmophyllum dianthus,sometimes in large aggregations (Fig. 4),Caryophyllia huinayensis and Tethocyathusendesa[2,3]. There seems to be a north-southgradient in the distribution of those coralbanks, occuring mostly in the north (Fig. 3).Divers can also reach reef-like structuresformed by the stylasterid coral Errinaantarctica[4] (Fig. 4) which appear to occuronly south of the Golfo de Penas (Fig. 3).Impact of aquaculture on cold water coralsSalmon farms release chemicals, organic matter and nutrients into thewater[6] which are detrimental to tropical corals[7]. Little is known aboutthe sensitivity of cold water corals but Chilean scleractinian aresuspected to be affected by sedimentation [3]. Although no informationis available, antibiotics and antifoulants are also likely to impact thebenthos. Aquaculture already occurs above and in vicinity of massivecoral aggregations [3] and might soon threaten corals in southernPatagonia (Fig. 3). Research and regulations are strongly needed toprevent irreversible damages to be done to Chile‘s fjord ecosystems.Figure 3: Existing and future salmon farms in ChileanPatagonia along with the known distribution ofscleractinians and stylasterids.• North: well developped aquaculture, highest abundanceof scleractinian aggregations• Center: little aquaculture at present, commonoccurence of Errina antarctica• South: developping aquaculture, lack of information oncoral presenceFigure 2: Aquaculture in Chile: annualproduction of algae, mollusks and fish between1994 and 2008 (Source: Sernapesca)Salmon aquaculture is already intensive[1] and will develop even more inthe near future (Fig. 3).Figure 4: Massive aggregations ofChilean cold water corals• Top: Desmophyllum dianthus [2]• Bottom: Errina antarctica [4]Laura.Fillinger@awi.de4. Häussermann, V. and G. Försterra, 2007 , Extraordinary abundance of hydrocorals (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa,Stylasteridae) in shallow water of the Patagonia fjord region, Polar Biol. 30, p 487-4925. Sernapesca: Servicio Nacional de Pesca, Gobierno de Chile, www.sernapesca.cl6. Black K.D., H.P. Kupka and M. Holmer, 2008, Salmon Aquaculture dialogue - working group report onbenthic impacts and farm siting Tacon A.C.G., in Fraser, S., ed. International Aquafeed Directory.7. Loya, Y. and E. Kramarsky-Winter, 2003, In situ eutrophication caused by fish farms in the northernGulf of Eilat (Aqaba) is beneficial for its coral reefs: a critique, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 261, p.299-303.Figure 1: Left to right: Caryophylla huinayensis, salmon farm, Tethocyathus endesa, chilean fjord, Desmophyllum dianthus, fish farm, Errina antarctica (landscape pictures © C. Jantzen)..

Salmon farming in Chilean Patagonia: a growing threat for cold water corals?

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