First meeting of Mediterranean partners to coordinate a response to Pinna nobilis crisis
33 researchers and representatives from the public administrations from 13 Mediterranean countries engaged in an online meeting facilitated by IUCN-Med, to present the latest mortality data and progress to recover the Critically Endangered (CR) populations of Pinna nobilis, now included on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.
Photo: HCMR Hellenic Centre for Marine Research and IUCN Red List Library
The latest status of Mediterranean Pinna nobilis populations
Since 2016, a mortality outbreak has led to the decline of the Noble Pen Shell (Pinna nobilis) population. The disease originally attributed to a haplosporidian parasite has continued to expand rapidly throughout the Mediterranean. Only a few populations are known to remain pathogen-free. However, these are geographically isolated and located in sites with very specific environmental conditions.
Harmonising a Mediterranean response to the mortality outbreak
The purpose of the online meeting facilitated by IUCN-Med was to present the current status of Pinna nobilis populations across all Mediterranean countries, as well as sharing knowledge on the different infectious diseases affecting the populations, alongside with conservation measures and rescue attempts, learnings from these initiatives, experiences maintaining individuals in aquaculture facilities, the role of unaffected populations and in-door juveniles for potential recovery.
During the first session, both governmental and non-governmental institutions presented the results of their monitoring efforts, including mortality and survival estimates, distribution, conservation measures underway and rescue attempts in different zones.
The second session, moderated by Institut Océanographique de Monaco focused on the conservation of Pinna nobilis in captivity conditions, such as aquariums, and research in the field of aquaculture.
The closing session highlighted the role of unaffected populations for a potential recovery, established with a network of larval collector stations to enhance larval dispersal from unaffected sites and potential recolonization through recruitment of resistant juveniles.
Several participants called for Mediterranean countries and ministries to involve in action.
A report of this meeting will be available on the web in late January.
For further information or if you would like to contribute to this initiative, please contact María del Mar Otero.
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