Tuesday, November 07, 2006

The end of the road

Well, the time has come for all of this to end and I am about to pack my bag up for the last time on this trip. Tomorrow (Weds) is the last full day of my 2006 Winston Churchill Trust travelling fellowship and I will be winging my way back to Heathrow (via Chicago) on thursday morning. Alas my friends, this will be my last posting on this blog site....

Almost seven weeks ago I left the UK (after a somewhat troublesome start), flying to the USA (Chicago and Dallas) on the way to Santiago in Chile. From Santiago I headed south to Puerto Montt in the lake region before travelling back to the north via Concepcion and Santiago, to La Serena. To finish my Chile leg, it was back to Santiago and then onwards to Quito (via Guayaquil) in Ecuador. From the highlands of Quito I headed down to the tropical lowlands of Guayaquil where I attended a conference and took several trips out to the coast and country (Montanita, Valdivia, Rio Chico, Machala and Jambeli Island) before heading back to Quito for an unexpected 2 day stopover and a trip to Palallacha high in the Andes. Then back to Guayaquil for the flight out to Tucson via Atlanta. By the time I arrive back in the UK, I will have boarded 17 flights via 10 major cities. I must say that I now need a break from flying!

All in all, anyone who has been keeping up to date with this blog will have realised that I clearly have had the time of my life. The travelling was at times intense and tiring, particularly with regard to the altitude of highland Ecuador and the very busy schedule of meetings, talks and field visits that I wanted to build into the trip. I feel however that it has all been worth it and I really have learnt so much during the past 7 weeks, both in terms of my scientific endeavours but also about the balance between what scientists like me like to do and what is really needed by people, particularly those that live in countries such as Ecuador (still considered to be a developing nation). I feel that the experience has brodended my horizons considerably, particularly with regard to the role that aquaculture plays in feeding the world. I would guess that like many, I have been influenced by the media on aspects such as the ethics and environmental sustainability of aquaculture. However, seeing operations first hand within these producing countries, a few things are now clearer to me:

1. Violations of land use have occurred in the past and habitats have been lost but measures have and are being established to ensure environmental sustainability into the future (e.g. mangrove clearance was stopped in the mid 1990's and many areas have reseeded).

2. The industry employs a large number of workers - Ecuador has four major exports (shrimp, flowers, cacao and oil). Continued production and export of these products are vital for its fiscal stability.

3. There is not enough fish in our seas, rivers and lakes to feed the growing global population. This issue will becoming more acute in coming decades. Aquaculure is here to stay and rather than resisting its development, we need to find ways to ensure its environmental and ethical sustainability.

4. We (the EU) are a net importer of food (including protein from fish). We require product to be produced and imported into the EU by nations such as Ecuador. Without such imports we will have to find ways to produce the food on our own land. It is unlikely that with the size of the EU popultion (500m) and the amount of unpopulated land available that this is possible.

5. The aquaculture industry in countries such as Ecuador is maturing and is learning from the mistakes and bad practices of the past. I believe that it is the duty of net importing countries such as our own to assist this improvement by providing the expertise to ensure sustainability (e.g. advice on best practice, disease controls, limiting antibiotic usage etc.). Given that we need these products, it is appropriate that we assist with their production and the minimisation of their impact, socially and environmentally.

6. Aquaculture is expanding in Asia, India, Africa and the Middle East (the latter areas being relative newcomers to the global industry). With careful expansion and adherence to good practice, this should be seen as promising news. As above, we need to assist with production and management of risk within these regions since it is likely that the products produced there will end up on the European plate.


Finally I want to sign off with a very big 'thankyou' to everybody that I have met during this amazing trip. Travel for me is not about seeing a particular town or 'doing' a landmark (please don't ever use that term near me since it annoys me intensely!). As a result, I don't often plan these things into my travel since I am very much more interested in the people that I can meet and the stories that they can tell me about life in the place that I am visiting. I have learnt so much about the culture of my temporary home simply by talking and listening to what makes people here laugh and cry. My most direct route to the culture however has been via the food. Once again, those that have kept up to date with the blog will have heard about the array of animals and plants that have been consumed along the way. Of particular note the filter feeders of Chile and the furry critters of Ecuador. I have eaten and drank some amazing things and have enjoyed talking about them (and their parasites!) to my hosts while doing so. Once again I apologise to Alyson about the guinea pig...

Oh, and of course I must show my deep gratitude to the Winston Churchill trust for making this trip possibe in thre first place. For those of you who are interested in the trust or are keen to apply for one of their travel fellowships, you can find out more at: www.wcmt.co.uk

So, that's it. Adios amigos and many thanks to you all for keeping tuned in, reading about my adventure and leaving your comments over the past weeks. I really look forward to seeing you for a beer (or at least a real cup of tea) in the UK.

Hasta luego!

Grant

p.s. It also turns out that the language barrier between an Englishman with poor Spanish and a Latin American with poor English are not half as high as between those that don't want to talk and those that don't want to listen. Working in this region however requires a better grasp of the language and I vow to improve in time for my next visit (I have already promised the Chileans that my next talk in their country will be in Spanish!).



Pescaderos and pelicans, both waiting for fish (Quintay, Chile)



Pelicans are found all along the Pacific coast. Beats a seagull any day!



A perfectly good view of Coquimbo harbour spoiled by man with hands in pockets...again (must resolve to take a different pose in similar shots in the future).




Cast netting to check shrimp growth in the ponds on Jambeli Island.



Yes, they've grown. Right then. Lunch.



The town of Montanita...where waves come to shore all day long. Lovely.



I know what you are thinking - Hardly the right attire for hunting monkeys



Would you let the man on the right cook you dinner? I did. He gave me guinea pig.
(the skewer size is somewhat disproportionate to the subject, no?)

Friday, November 03, 2006

Coming to America

A late night flight from Guayaquil delivered me to Atlanta early on wednesday morning. Waiting around til lunctime for the onward 3.5 hr flight to Tucson, Arizona was pretty tiring, especially considering my lack of sleep on the flight out of Guayaquil. The US customs were also unsure of my new haircut, stating that I looked different to that on my passport. They did however eventually let me though were questioning about reasons for wanting to spend time in South America. It seems that global travel security is getting much tighter, especially when entering the US.

Anyway, the weather in Tucson is great. In the mid 80's and clear sunny days at this time of year (apparently the summer here is pretty unbearable with searing desert heat and temperatures regularly over the 100f mark).

I was collected from my hotel on friday morning by Prof Don Lightner, a shrimp pathologist and a central figure in the field of crustacean pathology. He and his team are responsible for a large amount of literature on the subject over the last few decades. Don heads the aquatic pathology unit in the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Arizona, the OIE reference laboratory for most of the diseases affecting the global shrimp industry. Those that have read previous entries will understand how important disease is to the industry (it is estimated that the White Spot Virus alone has caused over $10bn is losses since the late 1990's). The laboratory here carries out a range of research projects for existing and emerging pathogens and also provides a service to the industry in terms of disease diagnostics and advice. Over the next week or so I will be speaking to the pathologists and molecular diagnosticians at the laboratory.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Adios mitad del mundo!

I have had a great last couple of days in Ecuador. On Monday morning I flew back in to Quito for a trip to a rainbow trout farm 4000m up in the Andes north of Quito. I was collected from the airport by Dr Fabio Sala and his wife Cynthia. Italians by birth and an echinoderm (starfish) developmental biologist and an embryologist, respectively, by training, they co-run Biomix, a feed formulation company providing the trout industry in the region. Flying back in to the city at 3000m reminded me of the effect of the altitude experienced earlier in the trip. This time though there was no chance for acclimatisation as we headed northeast from Quito, and much higher up into the Andes. The scenery was spectacular…the same mountain range as we saw down in Chile but this time there was no snow…the mountains instead carpeted by lush grasslands and forest, even at 5000m above sea level.

After a couple of hours we reached Papallacha (pronounced ‘papayakka’), a tiny village and home to the trout culture research station run by Pedro Manuel Santistevan (you’ll remember his name from earlier in the blog). The research centre is supplied by hot and cold water springs straight from the Andes range and is of an excellent quality for trout culture. Pedro and Fabio proceeded to show me around the facility where I was lucky enough to have my first go at ‘stripping’. Naturally I was nervous, not wishing to embarrass myself with my lack of experience. However, keen to not let the side down I soon had my hands on one of the local females, a mature, plump specimen who luckily had benefited from a general anaesthetic in clove oil before I got my hands on her.



The trout research station at Papallacha. The 'hills' in the background are about 4500m above sea level. Beyond them in the clouds is a volcano that stands another 1000m above this. A pretty nice place to work.


While there may be those reading this who may be getting worried that I am about to illustrate the blog with unsavoury photographs of the episode, the more astute amongst you will have realised that ‘stripping’ is indeed a wholly organic way to collect sperm and eggs from the farms broodstock fish for onward breeding and for stocking the farms in the region. After a couple of attempts I soon had the hang of it and was collecting thousands of eggs from each female specimen. The males were next but I thought it best to let the experts handle these….



A broodstock female, ready for 'stripping'



The process of egg collection from the female. Like I say, I drew a line at the males.



After a few weeks of magic...the fry appear. These are then grown on in the ponds until they are ready to make ceviche.

Continuing the theme from my trip to the prawn farm down in the Mangroves on Monday, lunch of course consisted of the locally produced organic trout, served ‘ceviche’ style with tomato, onion, lime and coriander. Lovely.

In the afternoon we headed back through the mountains and stopped off at one of the local trout farmers that Fabio provides with food. The scenery in the valley was reminiscent of the Scottish highlands, with a temperature to match. Quite a different sensation from being in the tropical climate of Guayaquil that morning! The farmer soon had us warmed up however with his local brew of wild fruits plus unknown extras. Just the confidence I needed to show my affection to one of the alpaca that were wandering around the farm (see above).

Next day was to be my final day in Ecuador and I must say it is pretty sad to be moving on from this amazing country. When I read about Ecuador’s biodiversity (officially the most biodiverse country on earth) I had pictured massive swathes of lush, humid rainforest that fulfilled this status. However, the reality of the country is quite different. Despite there being plenty of rainforest (it houses the eastern portion of the Amazon in the so-called Oriente region), the biodiversity comes not only from here but from the sheer variety of different habitat types that are found in what is essentially a very small country. You can travel from 5000m in the Andes to the tropical coastline within 30 minutes by plane, in doing so crossing lush lowlands and river valleys. Heading to the coast you move though dry scrub and fruit plantation into dry rainforest and mangrove. I did not even get to go investigate what lives below the waves, but with the much-publicised Galapagos just 600 miles offshore, the biodiversity of the aquatic habitat is also second to none. It truly is a special place and you can see why Darwin got so excited when he visited the region back in the 1800’s.

Just before heading out, I visited the Ministry of Environment in Quito to discuss a project being funded by the World Bank that is attempting to preserve this delicate habitat before the ravages of tourism and over-fishing blight this jewel in the South American crown. The project is interesting since it requires a careful balance between the fiscal requirements of a developing nation and the necessity to preserve what the tourists come here for in the first place. Issues such as ‘biosecurity’ were raised (the Galapagos has few natural predators and the introduction of vermin via tourist boats are a real threat to long term sustainability). For those in Cefas with an interest, expect some follow up from this meeting.

Finally, I would like to thank all of those new friends that have helped me to navigate and communicate my way through this amazing country. In particular, to Claudia Musello (ESPOL), Dr Sam Stern (CENAIM), Dr Stannislaus Sonnenholzner (CENAIM), Dr Paola Calle (ESPOL), Dr Sonya Mendoza (CSA), Alex de Wind (Bravita SA), Pedro Manuel Santistevan (CENAIC), Dr Fabio Sala (Biomix), Matt Hopkinson (Inspectorate), Leonardo Mariduena (Inspectorate), Colin and Nick Armstrong (Agripac SA). I hope that I can return the favour to you all one day.

I am heading to the USA tonight for the final week of my trip. I am bracing myself for a culture shift as I drop down into the states but am looking forward to spending some time at the University of Arizona where I will visit the excellent prawn disease research and monitoring facility run by Prof. Don Lightner.

I will see you when I get there.



I'll sign off with one last picture of the Iguanas in the park in Guayaquil.

Hasta Luego Ecuador. I’ll be back!!

Monday, October 30, 2006

Banana Republic

There is a good chance that if you ate a banana today, it came from Ecuador. Ecuador is the worlds largest banana exporter and while there are over a hundred varieties, as appears to be standard these days, we only get our hands on the most uniform and bland of the lot...the Cavendish. The banana plays an important role in the diet here in Ecuador and not a meal goes by without seeing a variant somewhere within the dish.

Today I headed south of Guayaquil to Machala...the self-professed 'Banana Capital of the World' (though unfortunately I was not in time for the World Banana Festival where amongst other events they crown the 'World Banana Beauty Queen'.....that's some title). Driving south, the landscape gives way first to rice paddies, then mango and papaya plantations (the papaya here are the size of rugby balls) and then finally to the bananas. Plantation after plantation line the highway that heads south to the Peruvian border, the largest being 'Noboa' owned by recent presidential candidate Alvaro Noboa. The presence of Noboa (as banana and candidate) within the region is obvious with almost every wooden and plaster surface on the roadsides painted with the name of the candidate or his closest rival for the 2006 presidency, Dale Correa. Apparently it is normal here for the parties to pay local homeowners to paint their houses with party colours and for them to wear the free t-shirts that are given out.

In Machala I was greeted by Alex de Wind, an Ecuadorian from a family involved in the prawn farming industry in Ecuador since the start back in the 1960's. Alex invited me down to take a look at his farm out on Jambeli Island, half an hour out through the mangroves by boat (picture of mangrove above). After the high speed trip we arrived at a large cleared area of mangrove (mangrove clearing was outlawed in the mid 1990's and no further expansion is allowed....in fact many areas have now re-established), the site of the 'camaronera' (prawn farm) of Bravito S.A.

After hearing so much about the industry over the past couple of weeks I was very glad to finally get a look at the system in action...from larval production and rearing, through juvenile stocking to the harvesting of adult shrimp. Alex impressed me with his holistic approach to farming and was keen to demonstrate that his farm has been officially accredited 'organic' and that the prawns are produced without any of the antibiotics or pesticides that have tainted the image of the industry in some parts of the world in recent years. This was great news, especially since the on-site chefs had prepared farm-produced organic prawns for us for lunch. I could get used to this.

I won't bore you with the details of production but in these temperatures (water around 30 degrees Celcius), a prawn takes just over 100 days to reach harvest size. Throughout this process there are many obstacles that the prawn and farmer must overcome, not least disease (remember that diseases such as white spot caused big problems here and elsewhere back in the late 1990's). Alex farms 'extensively' rather than 'intensively' (i.e. extensive systems have less animals growing per metre square of pond). He told me that extensive systems tend to cope better with endemic diseases such as white spot since the prawns are less crowded (only around 8/m rather than double this in intensive farms) and hence less stressed. Makes sense.

The crew on the farm make all sorts of daily and weekly checks on water condition, feeding rate, health and most importantly, growth of the produce. I was lucky enough to watch them 'cast netting' the ponds to make growth and feeding assessments. The prawns shown below are typical of the ones Bravita produces. These are Penaeus vannamei, the Pacific white shrimp.

Finally, a note of caution about the Ecuadorian road system. Drivers here only use the horn when within half a metre of the car in front, presumably to warn the other driver that they intend to overtake on the blind corner that is approaching. It is also common for taxi drivers here (especially on longer journeys) to perform a quick prayer before setting off. My driver told me today '...it would take a while for you to learn to drive here, right?'. After I agreed he proceded to demonstrate the principles of my miseducation in the highway code another 50 times before we reached Guayaquil.

I leave the tropics tomorrow and head back to Quito for an unexpected change of schedule. I will let you know what happens up in the mountains but promise (Alyson) that I will not let another set of paws pass my lips.



Shrimp are grown from larvae (about 20 days old - left) up to market size specimens (right) within about 120 days. The average size for a harvest shrimp is around 15 grams. This 'simple' process is the basis for a $10bn dollar global industry.

Saturday, October 28, 2006


Parklife

I had a good day on friday. In the morning I visited the Instituto Nacional de Pesca (National Fisheries Institute - INP) who it turns out, after 2.5 weeks of meetings, contacts, discussions and a conference, are the people that I really need to speak to here. This is South America I guess and I have learnt that it sometimes takes a while to dissociate politic from goodwill....especially when my Spanish is not really able to pick up subtle reference (or even blatant smoke and mirros). Anyway, got there in the end.

INP are the 'competent authority' for fisheries and aquaculture produce in Ecuador. This means that they have ultimate responsibility for guaranteeing that fishy products that are caught or grown in Ecuador meet the exacting standards of markets like the EU. They have to make sure that things such as antibiotic residues and other contaminants in products such as prawn are below the agreed guidelines set by the EU. If they are not, the EU will stop the import and you may find it difficult to find your tiger prawns in Tesco's on a friday night.

I had a very interesting discussion with them regarding possible future demands for disease testing of shrimp entering Europe. Countries such as Australia already have very strict guidlines for imported prawns (any that carry viruses, which survive the freezing process are a potential threat to the wild fauna of the country...this being particularly dangerous in island habitats). At present, only a few countries (such as Colombia) demand that Ecuadorian prawns are tested for viruses before export but in the future it may become a much more common demand by importing nations (including the EU)...a significant driver to improve biosecurity measures within the producing countries.

Anyway...

In the afternoon I took a stroll to the centre of Guayaquil to look for the famed iguanas that live in the Parque Semenario. Ecuador is famous for its iguanas but perhaps most people associate their presence with Galapagos Islands, 600 miles out from Ecuadorian coast. Well, in this case they are not in a wildlife reserve but instead strolling happily amongst the dirty pigeons, not intimidated at all (target reference). I tried to get as close as possible but looking down the lens at these things and not seeing how close they are to you is a little unerving!

Taking it easy this weekend catching up on emails and writing a report about this adventure so I will check back in on monday after I visit an organic prawn farm down in the Machala province south of Guayaquil. Hasta luego.



If he turns around and approaches us just fly...ok!!

You don't see this in Hyde Park.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Prawns into Europe

Feeling slightly guilty about my recent tropical weekend in Montanita, I felt obliged to bring myself back down to earth with matters related to work and to the ‘real’ reason that I came to Ecuador!

It has been a busy week in Guayaquil. This week saw AquaExpo come to town, the major annual event for those involved with the aquaculture industry in Ecuador and a great place to meet those with involvement at every level (farmer, processor, exporter, regulator). Thankfully a simultaneous translation to English was available through each of the technical presentations…a good way to learn Spanish while translating power point slides!

The picture above is taken from Google Earth (not one of mine!) and shows the extent of prawn production within the Ecuadorian coastal region south of Guayaquil. Each of the small blue blocks are the individual shrimp ponds. This is a big industry!

I think a few facts and figures that have emerged during the week are required to bring home the importance of the global tropical prawn industry. Concentrate.

1. Global production via capture and aquaculture of prawns exceeded 6 million metric tonnes (Mt) in 2005.

2. In 2005, the world aquaculture production of prawns exceded 2.5 million Mt.

3. 80% of tropical prawn culture occurs in countries considered as ’developing’ by the FAO.

4. First sale value of prawns exceeds US $9 billion per year.

5. The main prawn importing countries are USA, Japan and Europe.

6. The annual consumption of prawns in the US exceeded 2kg per capita in 2005.

7. By 2020, aquaculture will overtake capture fisheries for food fish supply.

8. The aquaculture industry requires a 3-fold expansion in the next 30 years to satisfy global demand for food.

9. The US National Institute of Fisheries (NFI) considers that the long-term future of aquatic food production lies almost solely with aquaculture (as Dr John Connelly from NFI stated ‘….we already know where every fish in the sea is and there are simply not enough to satisfy growing global demand’).

10. The European Union imported 600,000 Mt of prawns with a value of $2.3 billion in 2005.

11. Of this, approximately 140,000 Mt ($500m) were imported tropical prawns.

12. The three major buyers within the EU are Spain, Italy and the UK.
Europe does culture small quantities of ‘tropical’ prawns – around 100 Mt per annum (total value of $2m), in France (40 Mt/annum), Italy (19 Mt/annum) and Spain (44 Mt/annum).

13. In contrast, total fishery production of crustaceans from European waters totalled almost 400,000 Mt in 2004.

14. Half of all prawns produced in Ecuador are eaten by Europeans.

Ok, that will do. You get the picture.

One of the main reasons for visiting Ecuador was to familiarise myself and Cefas with an industry that is set to grow significantly in coming years. Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern markets are at present a rapidly growing concern, with an unknown ceiling (the largest prawn farm in the world was recently opened in Saudi Arabia). Countries such as Ecuador have learnt about diseases within the industry the hard way…the slogan for the AquaExpo ‘Ecuador is Back’ reflecting their re-emergence as a global player following the devastating effect of the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) epidemic in the late 1990’s. Other countries are undergoing similar problems currently (e.g. Brazilian culture is set to drop to ¼ of 2004 values in 2006 due to a massive WSSV epidemic) .

All of these problems have major effects on the global market for food (consumers need to eat something so what do they buy instead?) and inevitably, supply problems in one industry impact upon others. Long term sustainability in production of products such as tropical prawn are now the goal. Ecuador is responding by paying much closer attention to issues such as biosecurity (i.e. the control of potential disease carriers into production systems or to the country as a whole) and it is recognised that the evident ‘gold rush’ in production in the country during the 1990’s needs to be much more carefully approached this time around.

You will be pleased to know that I have been continuing to experience the excellent seafood of South America during my stay in Guayaquil. The diet down here at the coast is quite different to that of the mountains (not a Guinea pig in sight), with fish playing a much more important role. Yesterday, I was treated to Peruvian ‘ceviche’ by Pedro Manuel Santistevan, director of CENAIC (an outgrowth of the Ministerio de Comercio Exterior). He suggested we take ‘Tigre Leche’ (‘tiger milk’) as a starter…I was happy to see that this was not some illegal aphrodisiac imported from China but instead a spicy seafood soup served in a glass with plenty of chilly (hence the tiger). Octopus ceviche followed. Great.

Tomorrow I meet the folk from the Institute Nacional de Pesca (INP) at their Guayaquil HQ. INP are the ‘competent authority’ for testing (antibiotic residues, contaminants) of Ecuadorian prawns heading for the European alimentary canal. I need to speak to them about what disease control measures are in place for similarly exported prawns.

See, I can work too!! Ciao.

Oh, and finally, here are a few shots of Las Penas (careful with the pronounciation). This is the area that I visited last week with Claudia Musello. I went up there again this evening...this time brave enough to venture alone to watch the sunset from the top of the lighthouse. Check out these shots of the city at dusk.



The glossy side of Las Penas. The area was a dangerous slum before cash for regeneration was pumped into the area by the current Mayor. The development is now being expanded to take in adjacent regions (which are still dangerous). The armed guard on the right is protecting those with expensive cameras from those at the other end of the alley.



The view from the top at sunset overlooking adjacent Cerro Santa Ana district (an area not to take an evening stroll). You don't get the impression from the image but it is still 30 degrees celcius when the sun sets!

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Up the coast to Rio Chico

On sunday, we headed north from Montanita and Olun, into the rain forest and to Rio Chico. Rio Chico has a small open-air museum that sits alonside the river (Rio) with artifacts from the Valdivian culture, inhabitants of this land way before the European invaders arrived. As seen at Le Mitad del Mundo near Quito, strange burial grounds are scattered around the site. In the Valdivian culture, corpses were placed into large clay pots which were buried in small tombs with fruits, jewellery and other offerings (presumably for the time of reincarnation). Several of these sites have been discovered in rural Ecuador and rumour has it that the wives of the men who died would be poisoned and put into a pot of their very own, which was subsequently sealed and buried, leading to suffocation on awakening. Not sure which year women got the vote here. The picture above is of one of these pots....presumably thoughtfully arranged for the tourist with bones of the two said persons in the same pot. It's what they would have wanted.


So, following this , we headed onto the beach and once again watched the surfers (3) at their very own point break, here in the middle of the forrest. Once again, it was a great spot to sit in the sun and watch those who know what they are doing...giving the occasional commentary on what you would do if you are on that very same wave right now. Here are a few shots of the break for those with an appreciation for that sort of thing. Also, a picture of man standing on rock next to surf to give a little perspective!



The point break at Rio Chico



I went and surfed on these waves just after this shot was taken....

Ok, so a little marine biology to finish off the day (a crustacean pathologist never rests, even at weekends*). Here are a few pictures of some of the local crustacean fauna on the beach at Rio Chico. The sand crabs that live in the burrows on the beach are pretty difficult to photograph due to their nerves (i.e. they head to their burrow as soon as they smell a pathologist approaching). However, I did manage to edge ever closer to the burrow of this specimen and waited for about half an hour for it to emerge to get these shots. I wonder what parasites they have?!



Sand crab guarding the burrow (emerged after 30 minutes of waiting)



Hermit crab, shamelesly manipulated to camera

Ok, tomorrow it's back to work proper. I am now back in Guayaquil and have unpacked my creased shirts into the same wardrobe of the same room of the same hotel I was in on friday anf this week will attend the AQUA EXPO 2006 that showcases aquaculture for Ecuador. Most of it will be prawns so I hope to get a good overview through the week. I'll keep you informed. Ciao.

*text included for benefit of Cefas managers



Montanita and the endless wave

Well, as promised, a posting about my weekend in Montanita on the west coast of Ecuador. I checked out of the hotel on friday afternoon and was collected by Gustavo, Claudia y 'le chicos' (kids) for a weekend by the sea. As I told you, Gustavo is the editor of the Ecuadorian surf magazine (Radical) and what he doesn't know about surf spots in the country are not worth knowing (people here make regular trips to the Galapagos to catch waves!!). So, Montanita is about 2.5 hours west of the city, with roads and habitations getting more basic as you head out.

Gustavo's mum owns a surfer guest house in the nearby village of Olon ('Wave') and this was to be our home for the next few days. A quick bite to eat down in Montanita proved the 'Rough Guide' pretty accurate '...where tanned, chilled out gringos lounge around in shorts and bikinis, and surfers stride up the main street with surfboards under their arms'. This is a place where people come to surf and I must say, by European standards, the size of the beach and the relative lack of surfers, raises the whole area to a legendary standard. Rob Enever you have to come here!!

Anyway, next morning it was down to business and I was to take a lesson from Gustavo. However, in the true spirit of someone who is really into his sport, he had to take his fix first and I proceded to watch him and a few other 'pro's' take to the main point break off Montanita headland. The point break is a great spot for the observer since you can stand right alongside the waves as the roll in to the spot where the surfers wait and can also get a true appreciation of the size and quality of the waves. Check out these pictures if you don't believe me!!


I know what you're thinking but no, this is not me.....(look at that wave!!)





For those who body board, this is how you do it!!...yes he is almost standing!!

The water here is 25 degrees celcius right now and the locals consider this the cold season. In 'summer' this exceeds 30 degrees and often surfers complain of the water being too warm! The wetsuit trade is not particularly buoyant here.


After the demonstration, we headed around to the slighty tamer 'improvers' spot in front of the village of Olon. A quick drink from a coconut and into the water. Suprisingly it feels slightly chilly when you go in (probably due to the high air tempuratures...around 32 on the coast) but after a few seconds you realise that it is just right for board shorts. After a little guidance I was soon catching a few waves and managing to get some pretty good rides to the beach though must admit, did not pull off any of the moves seen earlier in the morning at the point (but did survive the sharks!). Ok, a tiring day was finished by watching the pro's at in again at the point. By now the tide had come pretty much up to the shacks that line the beach and it was fun just watching the experts. Most of them are pretty young, spending most of the day in or around the ocean. Gustavo told me that several of them are world standard but with little money to travel and the remote nature of town, they lack the opportunity to compete in the big events.



No that is not a 'v' sign...this is the thing those surfer dudes at Montanita do!!



The point break at Montanita

Friday, October 20, 2006


Prawns into Europe

Meeting on tuesday with Matt Hopkinson, manager of the Guayaquil branch of 'Inspectorate' and the Latin American technical manager, Leonardo Mariduena gave me a useful overview of the regulations existing for the importation of prawns from Ecuador (and other Latin American producing nations) to the European Union. Inspectorate test outgoing batches for a range of contaminants and residues and are as such a quality regulator of products for foreign markets (with acceptable limits set in this case by the EU). Inspectorate are a subsidiary commercial company set up by the British Standards Institute (BSI).

Next day I was invited to meet the Dean (Enrique Sanchez Cuadros) of Maritime Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty at the Escuela Superior Poltecnica del Littoral (ESPOL) at their Guayaquil campus. Remember that ESPOL have their associated marine outstation linked to CENAIM (visited earlier in the week), with several of the postdocs and students based at the Guayaquil campus. I had an interesting discussion with the Dean about a proposed upcoming World Bank project on conservation of the Ecuador and Galapagos coastline and it appears that ESPOL and Cefas have a number of common interests (not least a developing requirement for biological effects monitoring using fish and mollucs). Dr Paola Calle, a postdoc at ESPOL hs recently one a grant to develop molluscs as markers for contamination...starting on the River Guayas running through central Guayaquil. From here, we discussed the possibilities of expanding this type of study to coastal regions, fish and potentially to the supposed pristine 'reference' of the Galapagos Islands themselves (though a worrying expansion in tourism and habitation of the islands may preclude this). Paola and I will discuss these ideas further over coming weeks (I guess we would have no shortage of Cefas volunteers for field work in Galapagos?!).

Another useful contact at ESPOL was Sonya Mendoza who runs CSA (Centre for Services to Aquaculture). This laboratory was established using EU funding a number of years back and was designed to provide services to the Aquaculture industry of Ecuador, particularly for disease diagnostics and advice on prevention and treatment.

Yesterday ended with a nice evening stroll along the Malecon and into the once notorious slum Las Penas. This area has been completely renovated over recent years, driven by the Mayor of Guayaquil. This once dangerous region now supports a range of small business (cafes, artists, bars etc) and is overlooked by a new lighthouse which when climbed gives a great view of the city. As seems typical of the city, the region is enclosed by high walls, security gates and armed guards who protect the naive tourist from the 'real' city that lies beyond the barrier but talking to my local hosts and guides Claudia, Gustavo and Anna, the recent improvements are being well recieved by all, who feel that Guayaquil is a city on the up. The Mayor is now extending his ideas into other parts of the city.

Ok, so it's the weekend and I am quite excited since I am going to be given a surfing lesson by Gustavo Plaza Iturralde, editor of the Latin American surf magazine 'Radical'. Gustavo is taking me to the best 'break' in Ecuador at a place called Montanita. If I survive the sharks (Joke mum...there has never been a shark attack in Ecuador...on a local) then on Sunday I am going to take a boat ride to Isla de la Plata (or 'Poor Man's Galapagos) out from Montanita where I will hopefully come into contact with the Blue Footed Booby and the Albatross, plus some Iguana. I will post some pics on monday. Ciao.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006



Bienvenidos Camarones!!

Hi. I am now in Guayaquil and as predicted I am in the heat for the first time during my journey. I was collected from the aiport by Claudia Mussello (an ex-student of Karin Lohrmann of UCN in Chile) and dropped at my hotel in downtown Guayaquil. Many of the hotels are in an area known as the Malecon, a regeneration project that was completed on the millenium. The Malecon region which flanks the Guayas river that flows through the city was a notoriously violent and dangerous slum prior to the project but now is one of the nicest areas of the city, with tropical gardens, shops, cafe bars and art galeries. It is a safe place to take a stroll in the summer heat, albeit under the watchful eye of the many armed security guards that man the gates and frequent the boulevard.

The streets of Guayaquil itself are not a safe environment for the tourist at night but by day are colourful, cultural and vibrant. My first meeting of the week was with father and son team Colin and Nick Armstrong, who run Agripac S.A. Agripac provide agrochemicals, feeds and formulations to the Ecuadorian agricultural and aquacultural sector and have a significant interest in the national prawn industry. As Consul to the British Embassy in Quito, Colin with his significant understanding of Ecuadorian culture (35 yrs in country) provided me with plenty of contacts in the industry. I also thank him for introducing me to the Pheonix Club on the 6th floor of a Guayaquil city tower. The club, mainly for British ex-pats was a somewhat sureal experience (think British pub in the middle of a tropical city!). Several games of darts, a couple of beers (served in British pint tankards) and some garlic prawns (produced locally) finsihed a very nice evening (i met another 3 ex-Nottingham graduates in the club that night!).

Next morning I was met at the hotel by Dr Sam Stern, director of CENAIM (National Aquaculture and Marine Research Centre) and Dr Daniel Gutierrez, a sociologist from ESPOL (Escuela Superior Politecnica del Littoral) for a trip to the CENAIM marine outstation in San Pedro de Manglaralto on the Pacific coast of Ecuador (picture above). Sam described the mission of CENAIM as a research organisation that is attempting to link the requirements of the aquaculture industry with the skills provided by academic institutes in country. On arrival at the centre, around 2 hours west of Guayaquil, we were greeted by Dr Stanislaus Sonnenholzner, somebody who has provided me with significant assistance in putting together my itinerary for this trip (many thanks to him). The lab is in a great location, fronted by one of the best surf beaches in Ecuador.

Stan gave me a full tour of the CENAIM station and described the attempts by CENAIM to promote diversification in the Ecuadorian aquaculture industry (which to date has and is focussed almost solely on production of tropical prawns for the US and European markets). Specifically, as already seen in Chile, there are pilot projects to close the life cycle for a range of fish and mollusc species, including 'Guiyaipi' (large tunny-like fish), Japanese oyster, native scallop and Spondylus spp. The latter is not only being grown as a potential food source but also as a means of producing pearls for the jewellery industry. By grafting small foreign bodies to the inside of the shell of live Spondylus, it is possible to induce a host immune reaction that surronds the graft and produces a half pearl (see the pic below). In addition, injection of cell lines and/or tissue grafts into the mantle of this species can lead to the production of full pearls.



Spondylus spp. are being used to grow artificial pearls using foreign bodies (pink) grafted to the inner shell of live animals.

A stop off at CENAIM's prawn research facility just outside of San Pedro gave me an opportunity to see the type of prawn farm responsible for producing the tropical prawns found in supermarkets in the UK, Europe and the US. Seawater is pumped into the ponds and prawn larvae are grown to market size within about 12o days (2-3 harvests being possible each year). One of the major reasons for the trip to Ecuador was to talk to researchers and industry about the problems experienced in production of prawns in the region, particularly in relation to the diseases which have plagued the industry over several years. Ecuador experienced a catastrophic epidemic of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) during the late 1990' and is only now recovering to around full capacity. Other viral diseases such as Taura Syndrome Virus (TSV) and Yellow Head Virus (YHV) are also of significant threat to the global industry. Rapid, unchecked expansion of the industry and poor biosecurity responsible for epidemics...this being more carefully considered in modern operations. The species being farmed are white Pacific prawn (Penaeus vannemei)....look out for this name on the shrimp bags in Tesco's!!



CENAIM's experimental shrimp farming facility at San Pedro (left) and Penaeus vannamei broodstock at the lab. Shrimp are individually labelled (most visible on the one at right of picture) for genetic selection during the breeding process. Collection of broodstock from the wild has been outlawed in Ecuador in order to protect native stocks and to prevent introduction of diseases such as viruses from wild animals.

And finally, just for John, take a look at this giant mussel species being cultured at CENAIM. I did not catch the name but it looked like a bike seat and apparently this is only half full size. The adductor muscle is the target for food...apparently the size of a small fillet steak!!

Saturday, October 14, 2006


La Mitad del Mundo

Well, where to start. I have reached La Mitad del Mundo (the centre of the earth)!!

Disembarking the plane in Quito is a strange experience. The first thing you read is a sign warning you to walk slowly due to the altitude of the city. I was collected at the airport by Winston, an Ecuadorian guide working for the excellent Cafe Cutlura, a nice colonial style hotel in central Quito. Winston provided a second warning of the effects of the altitude and told me to drink plenty of water to avoid fatigue and the onset of strange dreams. He handed me said water which upon opening proceded to spray all over me...another effect of the altitude and a good trick to play on the visitor!

Reaching the hotel I was really glad of a good nights rest and a chance to recover after the 7 hour flight from Santiago (South America is a big place!).

Next day (friday) I took it pretty easy, catching up on emails and taking a stroll around Quito new town. The city has a strange atmosphere, due partly to the slightly opressive effect of the altitude and the frequency of armed guards and police on pretty much every street corner and shop doorway. Speaking to the locals it is apparent that Quito is not the safest of towns to walk around, with several areas that should be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, venturing onto the streets after dark is a no-no with taxi rides to restauarants and bars a must for travellers. This change in atmosphere from the relatively safe environment experienced in Chile gave an indication of the diversity of the continent and a warning that the trappings of the west (cameras, phones and cash) are pretty easy pickings for those without and with intention.

Saturday saw my full recovery from the flight and effect of the elevation. I decided it safest and most time-economical to book a one-to-one tour with the aforementioned Wilson, an individual it turns has a google-like knowledge of Ecuador. He had a full day planned so picked me up from the Cafe at 9 and we headed immediately to Quito old town, a stark contrast to the new town with fabulous colonial buildings, elaborte catholic churches and large collections of art. First stop was the imposing Basilica del Voto Nacional (cathedral). A faulty lift gave an opportunity to climb the large numbers of steps, spiral staircases and ladders that led to the top spire. Without the strangle hold of health and safety, we did not see another person on the way to the top...the journey becoming ever more fragile as we reached the top. The climb reminded me of our high altitude and some heavy breathing followed before recovery to take the photos...pretty spectacular views of the old and new town are visible, including a view across to the Virgin of Quito.

View of Quito old town from Cathedral

Dropping back down the tower and into the old town, we took a look around the original central church and political centre of Quito, the Iglesia y Monasterio de San Francisco and the adjacent Museo de San Francisco. These extravagant buildings along with the Cathedral Primada, with their almost complete internal coverage with gold leaf indicate the importance of the Catholic faith to Ecuadorian inhabitants and the considerable influence of the church on daily life in Quito now and through time (other religions were not allowed into Ecuador before the mid 1970's).

Wilson thought it a good idea that we have lunch before heading up the Volcano Pichincha that overlooks the city. Wanting to try the local dish of 'gratita' without really knowing what it was, Wilson delighted in telling me (during my first chewy mouthfull) that the chowder-looking broth was actually a soup of cows intestine....a delicacy in this part of Ecuador. Not wishing to let the side down, I chewed my way through the rest of the soup....pretty different.



I took a break from chewing the ileum to take this shot for you

So, after a satisfying lunch we moved on to Volcan Pichincha, standing at 4,794m above sea level (and 2000 m above Quito itself), it is reached by a cable car that passes through a rapidly changing array of mountain flora and fauna before dropping passengers at a visitor centre just under the peak and crater. Unfortuntely, heavy rain prevented us from making it to the peak but the cable ride gave a great view of the city. The effects of the altitude were taken away by a refreshing cup of cocoa leaf tea, a well-known remedy for altitude sickness due to the rather 'dubious' content of the cocoa leaf. As a nation of tea drinkers, I would love to have brought some back to the UK but as Wilson pointed out, '...the dogs will find it in customs'!!!! I decided that 15 years in the Quito Hilton was not worth it so left the inviting tea bag packets in the mountain shop!!

Final stop of the day was to the centre of the world (Le Mitad del Mundo), about half an hour from Quito, this is the place that you can watch water go down the plughole without spinning in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction (lack of Coreolis effect at the equator) and can stand on the very central line of the earth. Pretty amazing that this site was designated a few hundred years back (and probably way before by original inhabitants of Ecuador) before the aid of modern GPS etc (although original predictions were about 250m away from that depicted with new technologies). Apparently your body weight is 1kg less at the central point...the scales suggested this may be the case, though effects of eating the strange foods of Ecuador may also have led to this effect in me!!



This is how the equator looks...well what were you expecting?!

One strange display at the on-site museum was a guide to how to produce a shrunken head should you wish to create a trophy of war. I have some pretty gruesome pictures of the process and a close-up of finished article (they had one...apparently the deceased son of a tribal chief from the region) that are slightly too unsavoury to be posted here but will show those with an interest in this ancient craft on my return!

Speaking of unsavoury, Wilson suggested that we stop off for some more 'traditional' food on the way home to Quito. From my earlier enthusiam for gratita, he was keen for me to experience the 'true taste' of rural Ecuador and proceded to order 'Cuyes', a dish that would take about an hour to prepare (catch, dispatch, marinate and barbecue)...we should come back said the roadside chef (British roadside service stations were never like this!!!).

On our return, we were greeted with a Cuyes being barbecued on a skewer over an open fire. Closer inspection confirmed my suspicion that Cuyes was in fact a Guinea pig...sorry Alison. Proud of their delicacy, the animal was served whole, spatchcock-style with 'Chicha', the local moonshine of unknown alcholic content, made from fermented corn. I was scared!! A quick trip to the Loo to steady the nerves, then to action...

As a guest, I was obviously offered the 'best' bits which I proceded to chew with great trpidation and a growing realisation that I was eating a rodent! Actually the skin and meat tasted ok (yes, it does taste like chicken!) but I drew the line at the head and internal organs. Wilson proceded with gusto, suprised by my lack of enthusiasm for these prime offerings. I have never needed a drink so much and was glad of the numbing effects of the Chicha. I was glad to see the thing finished. I wasn't going to include this image but Pip thought it important to let you see the real Ecuador. So just for her:



Sunday lunch...Ecuador style. Now who's for leg?

All in all, a strange and surreal introduction to Quito, a city with many faces. Wilson was an excellent guide and really took his time to explain the importance of the city in Ecuador's colourful history. The food was strange but real and I was glad to have the opportunity to try. The safety issues for a tourist in the city were amply highlighted and I would suggest that anybody planning a trip here makes use of the guides. I am off to Guayaquil today and am gonna get my shorts out since it's going to be hot. See you there!

Don't have nightmares!!

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Hasta Luego Chile!

Ok, final day in Chile today and I will fly south again to Santiago this evening. Tomorrow I fly north to the Quito, Ecuador´s capital city - the second highest city in the world (almost 3000m asl) and bang on the equator. I will be signing out for a few days while I travel to, and find my feet in, Quito. Once I have recovered from the effects of the Quito elevation and locate an internet cafe I will post more entries! Expect things to get a little more tropical in coming days!!

It has been a hectic and productive fortnight and I have had a great time seeing the sites of the Santiago, Pt Montt and La Serena districts. Chile and it´s people have been very kind to me and I would particularly like to thank several people who have been really helpful during my stay. In no particular order these are:

Claudia Venegas (for greatly assisting with my intinerary for Santiago and Pt. Montt....many thanks), Hernan Cañon (IFOP), Prof. Juan Carvajal (iMAR), Patricio Bustos (ADL), Oscar Parra (Intervet), Marcos Godoy (Intervet), Daniel Suarez (Homing Ltd.), Sandra Bravo (Universidad Austral), Kurt Paschke (Universidad Austral), Roberto Flores (iMAR), Enrique Paredes (Universidad Austral, Valdivia), Alejandro Yanez (Universidad Austral, Valdivia) and finally, Karin Lohrmann (Universidad Catolica del Norte) and her son Rodrigo for allowing me to lodge with them in La Serena and for showing me the sights, sounds and tastes of Chile. I look forward to establishing fruitful collaborations with these new colleagues in the future.

Thanks for reading over the past few weeks. Hopefully you have enjoyed the tales. Just enough time to post a few assorted images of Chile. Chao y hasta luego. See you in Quito!

Mussel farming at Metri (south of Pt Montt)

Mini ´Trabulco´(whelks) in culture
Fish farm security - Chile style!