04.03.2022.
With the aim of preserving the noble pen shell, an endemic Mediterranean species, the third meeting was held of the partners on the project “Preservation of noble pen shells (Pinna nobilis) in the Adriatic Sea” that is co-financed by the Fund, and at national level coordinated by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development.The massive die-out of the noble pen in the Mediterranean started in 2016, while in the Adriatic Sea it was recorded in 2019. The mortality rate in many locations reaches 100% and due to a dramatic decline in the noble pen population, in only one year Croatia designated the noble pen shell as a critically endangered species. National scholars and experts are taking part in project implementation with 23 partners from three regions – northern, central, and southern Adriatic. The meeting on the of partners on the project, which entered its third year of implementation, was held on 1 March in Zadar at the University of Zadar. 46 participants from 27 institutions attended the meeting, including the expert from Spain.
On behalf of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, the meeting was attended by Vlatka Gulan Zetić, the head of the Environmental Protection Department at the Fund. “Taking into consideration the global climate change and the average increase in sea temperature that is potentially speeding up the extinction of the noble pen, it is essential to implement adaptation measures in accordance with the changed circumstances in order to preserve this unique species. That is why recent discoveries of live noble pens near Lastovo and in the waters around Pula bring back the optimism that there is a chance for their survival,” said Gulan Zetić.
The coordinators of the activities under the project “Preservation of noble pen shells (Pinna nobilis) in the Adriatic Sea” per the respective region include: Public Institution “More i krš” (for the southern Adriatic), Public Institution “Telašćica” Nature Park (central Adriatic), and Public Institution “Brijuni” National Park (northern Adriatic), who presented the activities aimed at the preservation of Pinna nobilis that were implemented so far in cooperation with other partners. The representatives of the Pula Aquarium and the Croatian Veterinary Institute presented their work related to the ex-situ preservation of the noble pen in the Adriatic, while the experts from the Spanish Institute of Environment and Marine Sciences (IMEDMAR-UCV) presented their experiences relating to the preservation of the noble pen in Spain.
During the discussion, the participants also touched upon the challenges they faced and proposals for the solutions to improve the future activities. The project has been recognised as the paragon of operational cooperation between science institutions, NGOs, public institutions managing protected natural values, and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Special emphasis was put on the great impact this project has made, and the so-far unprecedented engagement of the public in preserving this species, primarily through numerous messages with valuable data about the still living noble pens, and the related species Pinna rudis that were last seen in the Adriatic more than 100 years ago. Focus was put on continuing the implementation of activities for the preservation of Pinna nobilis in the Adriatic, the importance of international cooperation among experts, and further involvement of the public in project activities in the upcoming period.
