Paracas Bay, Peru
Main Contributors:
Johanna Yletyinen
Other Contributors:
Summary
Paracas Bay on the coast of Peru is an area which is a part of the Paracas National Reserve as well as an important area for fishing and fisheries-related factories. Harmful algal blooms often cause hypoxia in Paracas Bay as a result of algal respiration and decomposition. A devastating bloom of the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium sanguineum occurred in 2004 and caused anoxia, which together with toxins produced by algal blooms resulted in massive fish and shellfish deaths.The massive fish deaths and closing of the port caused huge economic losses for fish industry and aquaculture.
It has been concluded that the 2004 mass mortality of benthic species was partly caused by untreated waste from the fish meal factories.
Type of regime shift
Ecosystem type
- Marine & coastal
Land uses
- Fisheries
Spatial scale of the case study
- Local/landscape (e.g. lake, catchment, community)
Continent or Ocean
- South America
Region
- Coastal Peru
Countries
- Peru
Locate with Google Map
Key References
-
Kahru M, Mitchell B, Diaz A, Miura M. 2004. MODIS detects a devastating algal bloom in Paracas Bay, Peru. Eos 85, 465-472.
Citation
Johanna Yletyinen.
Paracas Bay, Peru.
In: Regime Shifts Database, www.regimeshifts.org.
Last revised 2012-01-12 08:37:42 GMT.
