Crazy weather in Sardinia
sorry by the delayed post but these weeks have been crazy. I was helding conferences in several cities of Andalucia (Spain), Granada, Malaga and Almeria regarding our published research on environmental impacts, particularly about the impact of aquaculture on the marine food web. Marine aquaculture and, in particular intensive fish farming, have shown a large expansion in most Mediterranean countries over the last 10 years. Our studies, the first of its kind to use a mass balance models of trophic interactions in the Mediterranean basin, focuses on how changes induced by the presence of a marine finfish farm affect fish communities. This type of information is important in order to estimate the potential effects of finfish aquaculture on coastal ecosystems and, therefore, to identify the species which play a key-role in the processes of ecosystems
affected by coastal aquaculture. Additionally, our studies were used to evaluate the conflict between dolphins and the aquaculture.
Last week the wind reached 50 miles per hour and the field work during these months has been drastically reduced due the bad sea conditions. We are waiting for the spring because April and May are considered two of the most beautiful months of the year due to the presence of several marine mammals different than bottlenose dolphins in the study area. For example, if the weather is ok, we hope to sight fin whales because some fishers had sighted several of these animals in the last
weeks. Luckly yesterday there was sunshine and the most important thing "NO WIND", therefore we have been at sea during 4 hours (3 hours and half in company of the dolphins).
Regards,
