Abstract
Nowadays, climate changes are causing severe weather events that are responsible for product losses, structural damages and unsanitary conditions in shellfish farms. During severe rain events, fecal bacteria coming from the river can be accumulated by mollusks farmed along the coasts (Colaiuda et al., 2021). To alert farmers timely, the FORESHELL project (funded by the FLAG Costa Blu trough 2014-20 EMFF program of the Abruzzo Region) developed an early warning system (EWS) able to forecast the main hydro-meteorological-environmental factors that could threaten the production.
The study area encompassed, in the Giulianova Maritime District (Abruzzo, Italy), one Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) farm and the two rivers facing it: Vibrata and Salinello. The methodology comprised: a) the hydrological monitoring of the two rivers through CHyM model (Lombardi et al, 2021) to forecast occurrences of discharge peaks at the river mouth; b) sanitary monitoring before and after severe weather events to determine the concentrations of Escherichia coli in freshwater at the river mouths and in mussels and seawater at the farming area; c) characterization of mussel growth; d) environmental parameter monitoring, in situ and by remote sensing.
Starting from satellite data, a customized oceanographic model was developed to combine environmental parameters with flow rate data of rivers estimated by CHyM model. The model was integrated into the AquaX platform (ColomboSky®, https://www.aquaexploration.com/). The AquaX platform was provided with an alert system, sending alarms via SMS or email in case of predicted adverse weather-marine events and anomalous fluctuations of the monitored physical/chemical parameters threatening production, with a predictive capacity of 48 hours. Three flow rate thresholds were defined as an alert system associated with color codes identifying different alert states related to potential E. coli contamination of mussels in order to make the whole system easily interpretable by the farmer.
During the project lifetime, E. coli concentration in mussels exceeded the legislative limit (230 MPN/100 g) (EU Regulation n. 2019/627) following four severe weather events. The mussels showed a self-purification time ranging from 3 to 6 days and they constantly grew during the investigation period.
In conclusion, the FORESHELL project supplied farmers with easy-to-use tools useful to plan daily activities in order to avoid product losses, structural damages and unsanitary conditions by adapting aquaculture procedures to climate changes.
References
Colaiuda, V., Di Giacinto, F., Lombardi, A., Ippoliti, C., Giansante, C., Latini, M., Mascilongo, G., Di Renzo, L., Berti, M., Conte, A., Ferri, N., Verdecchia, M. & Tomassetti, B. (2021). Evaluating the impact of hydrometeorological conditions on E. coli concentration in farmed mussels and clams: experience in Central Italy. Journal of Water and Health, 19(3), 512-533.
Lombardi, A., Colaiuda, V., Verdecchia, M., Tomassetti, B. (2021). User-oriented hydrological indices for early warning systems with validation using postevent surveys: Flood case studies in the Central Apennine District. Hydrological Earth System Science, 25, 1969–1992.
Regulation (EU) n. 2019/627 of the Commission of 15 March 2019 establishing uniform practical procedures for the execution of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of Council and amending Regulation (EC) No. 2074/2005 of the Commission as regards official controls.