Are red tides affecting economically the commercialization of the Galician (NW Spain) mussel farming?

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) more specifically red tides are among the most critical environmental factors affecting mussel cultivation in Galicia (NW Spain) and they often have been blamed for economic losses for producers This statement is based on the correlation between days of closure of the production areas and unsold product The present article shows that such a statement is not always correct at least in the case of Galician mussel farming because red tides only cause losses to producers under specific circumstances that arise from the impossibility of placing their product in the market In addition this article reveals the importance of finding organizational solutions within the framework of the production sector to counteract the impact of this type of phenomenon (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved