Informe Final
Annual Progress Report N°6
Autor
Pantoja-Gutiérrez, Silvio
Institución
Resumen
The Continuity Plan of the COPAS Sur-Austral Program introduced slight modifications to the original research
lines with the goal of promoting closer integration among physical, biological, and biogeochemical kinds of
expertise leading to integrative interpretation within the three strategic areas: Oceanographic observation,
Fisheries, and Aquaculture. We have now five research lines: R+D Line 1: Oceanographic observation for the
sustainable development of aquaculture; R+D Line 2: Environmental variability and ecosystem patterns
associated with changing freshwater inputs in Patagonian fjords; R+D Line 3: Ecosystem Variability and
Demersal and Pelagic Fisheries; R+D Line 4: An ecosystem approach to Patagonian Fisheries; and R+D Line
5: Marine Biosafety and Biotechnology. Each line is led by a principal investigator and accompanied by
associate investigators, also hosting postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students, and
technicians. In addition, R+D Line 6 is in charge of Outreach and Transfer, and links COPAS Sur-Austral with
the productive sector and public services.
Research: During Year 6 we have put emphasis on: i) sustainable aquaculture research, including studies on
environmental carrying capacity and toxic plankton and pathogens that may seriously affect aquaculture activity
(R+D lines 1, 5, 2 and 6); ii) regional management of pelagic, demersal and benthic fisheries (R+D lines 3 and
4); and iii) the effects of freshwater inputs at the ecosystem-level (R+D lines 1, 2 and 3), including sediment
studies for understanding decadal/centennial variability (R+D Line 2).
Sustainable aquaculture in the Chilean fjords can only be achieved when there is knowledge on the structure
and basic functioning of ecosystems. During Year 6, new information was generated on the synthesis of organic
matter and microbial degradation of DOM; microorganisms and irradiance (light attenuation as one of the key
factors determining latitudinal patterns of production); the influence of variable freshwater inputs; the release of
nitrogen compounds from salmon food and their impact on nitrogen cycles; as well as on toxic organisms
inhabiting the water column and sediments (e.g., molecular biogeography, molecular epidemiology). Research
on physical processes focused on understanding hydrography, salt flux exchanges and the dynamics of low
oxygen water penetration into de fjord areas, including the Reloncaví Fjord, the Inner Sea of Chiloé, the Boca del
Guafo and the Puyuhuapi-Jacaf area. These studies are providing important knowledge on fundamental
processes associated with the overall productivity, water quality and renewal of fjord ecosystems. In view of an
increased number of salmon fish farms operating in the Aysén Region that may be driving fjord oxygen
consumption to critical levels (especially in deep waters), we have made special efforts to continuously monitor
“real time” basic oceanographic and climatic parameters in the Puyuhuapi-Jacaf area. This particular area has
been chosen due to the severe hypoxic conditions that we have detected in the Puyuhuapi Channel. Continuous
monitoring has been achieved through the installation of an array of 3 automatic stations and one oceanographic
buoy with the active cooperation of the Aysén salmon farm industry. We also deployed an array of physicalchemical
and oceanographic sensors (LOBO buoy plus a weather station) near the head of the Reloncaví Fjord
which collects hourly data from both the surface ocean and the atmosphere (data are accessible over the
Internet at reloncavi.loboviz.com), providing a detailed view of the evolution of ocean properties relative to
atmospheric forcing over time scales spanning hours to seasons. Reloncaví is another fjord heavily used in
salmon farming. Based on an extensive set of current-meter data collected in this fjord we tested the adequacy
of present-day technical standards required by Chilean law to grant salmon aquaculture concessions (minimum
record lengths of 15–25 days are needed and not the currently required 24-hour records), and made
recommendations to improve procedures and requirements to grant aquaculture concessions in Chile.
The sustained time series observations are complemented by numerous oceanographic surveys in
Patagonian fjords. COPAS Sur-Austral is making an important contribution to our understanding of how fjord
ecosystems work. Most of the base line information being generated in the fjords is also contributing to the
objective of developing physical and biological modelling tools to current productive practices within the salmon
farming industry. However, our multiple efforts for interaction with the private sector (offering projects,
partnerships and agreements; demonstrating the use of the fuzzy logic model; and the request for qualitative Programa de Investigación Asociativa (PIA) Programa de Investigación Asociativa (PIA) Finalizado