On the east coast of the province of Río Negro, there are scientists who provide unique information on the biodiversity situation of the Argentine Sea. They deal with pollution problems and the conservation of fishery resources. They discover the secrets of whales, sea lions, and other species that are key to ecosystems.
Also, among other activities, they analyze the rings or growth bands of clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops because they serve as sentinels or indicators to monitor variations in the environment.
They are researchers at the Center for Applied Research and Technology Transfer in Marine Resources (CIMAS), which was created by the Province of Rio Negro, the National University of Comahue and CONICET in 2015. Soon the institution will have a new headquarters near Las Grutas that will allow it to expand its activities and diversify and increase its regional and national impact..
Thanks to funds from a program of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, CIMAS will move to the new building to be built in Las Grutas. There it will be merged with another building that depends on the same entity, Criar, which is responsible for the reproduction and production of marine species and bivalve mollusc seeds (oysters, blond mussels, Tehuelche scallops and paleta mussels).
The proposal is advanced. Because not only will the construction of a brand new building that will contain and optimize the old structure of the hatchery. It will also be a bet projected to 10 years. That is, it will be planned for an expansion of the technical and research areas.
Think of productive projects that they will be innovative for the Atlantic Zone of the Province (Sierra Grande, San Antonio, Viedma) and the South Line (covering towns such as Pilcaniyeu, Comallo, Ingeniero Jacobacci, Los Menucos, Maquinchao, Sierra Colorada).
Until now, CIMAS has worked in San Antonio Oeste. On the other hand, the Criar is the one that is shortly before entering the Las Grutas spa. All the activity that the institution has been carrying out since 1974, when it was created to develop research projects that would allow us to learn more regarding the resources of the sea, will be concentrated in this place. In 1997, the Laboratory for Research and Production of Juvenile Bivalve Mollusks, known as Criar, was added.
The initiative will be possible by obtaining 2.5 million pesos that will be contributed by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Nation within the framework of the program of Inter-institutional Centers on Strategic Issues (CITES). “The money is already there. The signing of an agreement is missing and the entity that will have the role of coordinating everything for the construction of the building is defined, which will be key for our area and strategic for the rest of the Province, ”he told BLACK RIVER Enrique Morsan, the head of CIMAS.
“What we wanted when devising it is to bet on a 10-year growth, without affecting the essence of our institution that was born as a fishing industry, but with the need to add environmental research,” he said.
“We are also going to promote the development of projects designed for nearby areas, such as the South Line, which is already benefiting from our investigations, as is the case with everything we are doing in terms of aquaponics.that is to say, the culture of fish with methods of recirculation of water”, explained Morsan.
“Having a larger space will mean that we are not restricted to think regarding incorporating study topics in contamination, genetics, paleontology, oceanography and anthropology, among others that are emerging. And, although we will continue to be far from the development that was achieved in the Andean zone, we will be able to start thinking regarding catching up. For this reason, it is also good to look at research that promotes the production of the entire area, incorporating, beyond the fishing issue, the South Line, which has to overcome difficult access to water,” said the director.
The work will have an area of 941 square meters, and will be distributed on the four-hectare property located where only the Criar facilities are currently located.
Currently there are 50 people who work between CIMAS and the hatchery. The new headquarters will have the capacity to have double the number of researchers, with an expansion of the laboratory area.
“The specific projects that would be worked on once installed in the new place have not yet been defined. The idea is to open the door so that everything we do today can continue to be carried out and diversify”, he commented.
“To work on contamination, there are samples that are sent to be analyzed abroad. With the change, we will look for what can be done in our laboratories. The same happens with some areas such as genetics: we have graduates in the field and their analyzes might also be done here, such as DNA tests,” explained Morsan.
CIMAS conducts research that helps contribute to the development of management policies for fishing resources. The availability of the different species of fish and shellfish is also analyzed, and their conservation and that of the environments in which they develop are encouraged.
Environmental monitoring: it will reach Antarctica
From the construction of the CIMAS headquarters, the scientific studies carried out by its researchers and technicians will also grow. For the future, the articulation with a project to strengthen research for the sustainable management of fishing resources, the conservation of marine biodiversity, and environmental monitoring in the Western South Atlantic and Antarctic carried out by the National Institute is foreseen. Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP).
“We are going to have the possibility of having a scientific, technological and productive Pole in a region with great potential and very rich in natural resources”, assured Enrique Morsán.
Studies on the interactions and impact of tourism activities on species and habitats will also continue.
Until now, all that remains is to sign an agreement between different public institutions.
The agreement that remains to be signed must be signed between the governor from Río Negro Arabela Carreras, the rectors of the University of Comahue (Unco) and the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (Inidep) and the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (Conicet). “It’s just a matter of agreeing on the date,” said Morsán.
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