Forecasting Shellfish Aquaculture Threats. An Earth Observation Derived Tool Aiming at Avoiding Microbiological Public Health Hazards

Abstract

Shellfish aquaculture is of great importance in offering a sustainable food source, thus playing a major role towards achieving food security and nutrition, employment, and economic development in coastal areas. Mussel aquaculture, in particular, offers a substantial development opportunity for Black Sea riparian countries; however, a significant attention must be given to zoo-sanitary conditions and public health, considering the filter-feeding behaviour of these organisms. With the involvement of GFCM’s Aquaculture Demonstrative Center (hosted by NIMRD), the microbiological classification of bivalve mollusk production and relaying areas in Romania was performed. Yet, the regular monitoring of these areas is not enough to prevent accidental contamination of shellfish farms, in case a potential harmful discharge from a wastewater treatment plant occurs. In this context, the goal of our research was to develop a prediction tool, focused on an early warning system of any possibly microbiologically loaded water discharge (Escherichia coli), using a downscaling of CMEMS Earth Observation data and in situ validation. The developed service module can give farmers the ability to predict a potential harmful outbreak and decide to harvest earlier or later and/or keep the mussels in a purification tank before marketing, in order to avoid any possible E. coli contaminated harvest to be put on the market involuntarily.