Red tides in the Galician rías: historical overview, ecological impact, and future monitoring strategies

The Galician rias (NW Iberia, Spain) are coastal embayments at the northern boundary of the Canary Current upwelling system. Their favourable conditions for phytoplankton growth turn them into a suitable area for the development of aquaculture activities and a site of most of the national shellfish production. Phytoplankton blooms, a natural phenomenon inside the rias, under certain conditions eventually lead to seawater discolourations (colloquially known as red tides). Because of their transient nature, available records derive mainly from opportunistic samplings or casual observations, and are scattered in the literature. As a rule of thumb, red tides in the NW Iberian Peninsula are of non-toxic nature and are not systematically monitored. However, in recent years striking exceptions such as those of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum, a producer of paralytic shellfish toxins, have been registered. The present study goes through a historical overview of red tides in the Galician rias, describing their colouring, responsible organisms, seasonal and geographical occurrence, and their association with other features (harmful algal blooms, biotoxins and shellfish harvesting closures, bioluminescence, etc.), ending with social challenges and proposals for improving the monitoring of red tides in the future. The Galician rias (NW Iberia, Spain) are responsible for most of the national shellfish production. This is the first review of red tides in that area including an historical overview, social challenges and proposals for improving their monitoring.

Automated summary

The Galician rias in Spain are coastal embayments suitable for aquaculture activities and national shellfish production. Phytoplankton blooms, known as red tides, occur naturally in these rias but are not systematically monitored. However, recent exceptions of toxic red tides have been observed. This study provides a historical overview of red tides in the Galician rias, discussing their characteristics, responsible organisms, occurrence, and proposing improvements for monitoring in the future.