Ecosystems are the support for life on the planet as they provide a series of goods and services. However, anthropogenic activities in the last 50 years have accelerated their degradation in more than 60% of the world's ecosystems. This has negative effects on biodiversity, interactions between species and ecosystem functions, directly affecting human health, culture and the economy (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). The loss of biodiversity is due to threats such as habitat loss, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution and the spread of invasive alien species, and climate change. The latest report from “Living Planet Index (https://livingplanetindex.org/home/index)” as well as the report “The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (https://ipbes.net/)” show that we are not only losing species at an accelerated rate, including still unknown species, as well as entire lineages. This scenario has direct effects on human well-being, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable (Convention on Biological Diversity, 2010; Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, 2010). The consequences are varied, covering, among others, the level of food security, where by reducing the number of wild species destined for food consumption, illegal activities are resorted to, violating the bans or quotas that are intended to protect them.
In marine systems, for example, this scenario has given rise to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, one of the criminal activities with the greatest financial flow worldwide. At the same time, food fraud has increased, in which species of higher value are replaced by others of lower value or whose fishing is prohibited, or that may be potentially allergenic, constituting a danger to food safety. In Chile, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA), the supervisory entity of the Fisheries Law, indicates that IUU fishing in Chilean jurisdictional waters reached US$300 million in 2017. This is equivalent to about 320 thousand tons of resources. extracted, many of which present conservation problems. Such is the case of common hake, southern hake, sardine, anchovy and different brown algae.
In the European Union, the United States, Canada and recently Brazil, the labeling and traceability of seafood products have been incorporated into their legislation as a requirement, in order to combat IUU fishing and prevent harm to people's health. to the environment and fraud. In this way, the product labeling must contain the commercial and scientific name of the commercialized species. However, to carry out successful inspection, especially when the products have been processed and lack diagnostic morphological characters that allow their verification, genetic identification has been implemented, based on the “DNA-Barcoding” technique.
For genetic identification, the product containing the doubtful or problem individual is compared with a database of the commercialized species, which contains the sequences of genes that have been standardized (mitochondrial or chloroplastidial barcode)., thus allowing the taxonomic identification of the specimen. Given its effectiveness, this methodology has been widely used and internationally recognized, allowing species to be identified reliably, even from incomplete, damaged or biological material in different stages of development. However, it is essential for the application of this methodology that a reference genetic database or bank exists and that it is taxonomically curated (identified by a specialist taxonomist), to ensure correct identification.
The implementation of these techniques in the marine area imposes new challenges on those who market marine resources internationally, such as Chile. This will require reliable labeling. Therefore, it is essential to establish a Chilean genetic data bank that, based on the DNA barcode of the national species, supports the fishing and aquaculture industry, both at the industrial and artisanal level, as well as for the SERNAPESCA supervisory entity. .Currently, the University of Chile has the professional and technical capabilities in genetic identification and already has a Data Management Platform, which generates and stores a large amount of data. On the other hand, its researchers from different areas have recently formed the multidisciplinary Food Quality Research Center, whose objective is precisely to ensure food safety, helping in the identification and correct labeling of the species that are marketed. Thus, the University of Chile has the necessary capabilities in marine systems, being able to collaborate in generating the basis for transparency and trust policies in the international market where our products are sold, based on solid science.
Establishing a genetic data bank of national marine resources is an opportunity to protect resources, as well as increase export specialization from the point of view of products and markets. For example, in ecological terms, this would ensure that the Chilean species that are traded are really those declared, reducing their illegal exploitation, and supporting the knowledge of our national biodiversity, its evolutionary history, its geographical variation and thereby establishing conservation states and priorities. of marine resources. At a socioeconomic level, considering the large volume of marketing of seafood, the genetic identification of species would be a competitive advantage at different scales. For example, at the local level, trade could reduce food fraud associated with the replacement of Chilean species legally marketed and without fishing restrictions, with imported fish such as pangasius or tilapia, considered to have low nutritional value and sustainability in the processes of obtaining, transporting and food distribution. On the other hand, at an international level, the export of products that leave with certification from Chile will avoid, in the case of refrigerated products, decomposition or losses when they are retained for inspection. While the certification of processed products such as fish fillets, shucked mollusks, shredded crustaceans and dried seaweed will prevent illegal trade in species, food fraud, and the protection of endangered species, ensuring their conservation and availability in the long term. term.Data banks are urgent, necessary and possible.
Caren Vega-Retter, Alejandra V. González, David Véliz
Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences
Natalia Lam, Cristian Araneda
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomy
Maria Angelica Larraín
Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Source: http://ambiente.uchile.cl/2020/10/23/columna-de-opinion-el-valor-de-los-bancos-de-datos-geneticos/
