engleski

Transplantation of endangered Mediterranean habitat-forming bivalve Pinna nobilis as a prescribed conservation measure: a case study

The noble pen shell Pinna nobilis, an endemic Mediterranean bivalve is highly threatened by habitat loss or degradation due to intense coastal development, anchoring, trawling, illegal extraction and most recently, by a rapidly spreading disease. As a habitat-forming suspension-feeder this species contributes to water clarification and biodeposition and it enhances local biodiversity, especially in the seagrass meadows. To avoid smothering of this strictly protected species during construction of a new nautical centre in the Pula Harbour (North Adriatic Sea, Croatia), the environmental impact assessment prescribed transplantation of pen shells as a conservation measure. In the framework of EU Horizon 2020 project MERCES (Marine Ecosystem Restoration in Changing European Seas, http://www.merces- project.eu/), in coordination with the investor of the nautical centre and local volunteer divers we transplanted a total of 184 pen shells to the nearby Brijuni MPA, where their protection from adverse impacts of anchoring and illegal extraction couldbe ensured and monitoring of their survival could be performed. A high transplant survival confirmed that pen shell transplantation was an effective conservation/restoration method. This case represents the first official transplantation of a sessile marine species in Croatia as a measure prescribed by the environmental impact assessment and here we present our experience in connection with organisation and conduction of such action. Our aim is to facilitate and promote pen shell transplantation in the future as an appropriate and feasible conservation measure as well as to advise governing institutions on the issues that should be taken into account in the process.

pen shell ; conservation/restoration ; MERCES project

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