Seaweed? Fisherman discovers 'underwater field of marijuana' in Chile
It has been reported that a fisherman has discovered an 'underwater field of marijuana' off the Chilean coast whilst fishing last week. This 'seaweed' has never been seen before in nature.
The fisherman is believed to have been fishing for turbot when he caught unidentified vegetation in his net, which was later identified by marine biologists at the Chilean Aquaculture Centre as a strain of cannabis sativa. The strain has been affectionately named 'Amigo de pescador' by locals, which roughly translates to Fisherman's Friend in English.
Research suggests that a naturally occurring genetic defect in the plant, coupled with small hydrothermal vents in the proximity and epipelagic location, have created serendipitous growing conditions that you wouldn't find anywhere in nature and would be difficult to reproduce artificially.
Camila Rojas, a marine biologist, told us this: "It's a very unusual occurrence. I'm assured by my more familiar peers that the levels of THC aren't particularly high but the plants do produce female flowers. Cannabis cultivation in Chile is amongst some of the oldest in the world, so I'm not particularly surprised something like this could happen.
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