The project to preserve the noble pen shell in the Adriatic continues until 2025 thanks to ACI and the excellent cooperation it fosters with local and national associations

The extinction of the noble pen shell as an endangered species throughout the Adriatic represents an alarming situation in which the Croatian Veterinary Institute is fighting with the support of ACI, specifically ACI Marina Vrboska. And this year, ACI d.d. and the research team of the Croatian Veterinary Institute from Zagreb, as well as the partners Public Institution More and Karst from Split, are participating in the project to preserve the noble periwinkle in the Adriatic. A team composed of representatives and employees of the aforementioned companies, institutions and associations visited the island of Hvar, which was once an area densely populated by this type of shellfish, and now this endangered species is on the verge of extinction there. The research team is continuously working on the preservation of a strictly protected, and now extremely endangered, species. The recently held action at the ACI marina Vrboska was also joined by the students of the Hvar High School who helped in the joint production of the collector.

Hope for the survival of the largest living filter in the Mediterranean

The mass extinction of the noble periwinkle in the Mediterranean caused by the Haplosporidium pinnae parasite began in 2017, and quickly spread throughout the sea. It is an endangered species that filters up to 2,000 liters of sea water per day, which makes it the largest living filter. Only 26 individuals currently live in the Croatian part of the Adriatic, and the southernmost “Nova nada” is in Omiš. These individuals, which were found after three waves of infection, are most likely immune. Elevated sea temperatures especially contribute to the spread of infectious agents, and the same factors accelerate the process of the disease itself. The project to preserve the noble periwinkle in the southern Adriatic is coordinated by the Public Institution Sea and Karst, as a partner of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and is co-financed by the Fund for Energy Efficiency.

Raising awareness among young people and within local communities

The project to preserve the noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) in the southern part of the Adriatic is part of the national project to preserve this endemic species. As in previous years, near the ACI marina Vrboska on Hvar, collectors were installed for the reception of larvae, and this year’s reinforcement of the project were the students of Hvar High School, who, together with their biology teacher, participated in the construction of the collector itself. After construction, divers from the Croatian Veterinary Institute placed the collectors on already prepared sea anchors, after which the students were given a short education about the new knowledge, as well as the steps that must be taken to preserve this endangered species in our area. Plankton was also collected for analysis and the presence of parasites, and all activities were carried out for the purpose of further promoting the project and raising the awareness of the local population, especially the youth, but also tourists. Support for the workshop and the entire project of preserving the precious feather in the Adriatic was also provided by the Jelsa Tourist Board, which for many years, together with the HRM Veterans Association and the Nautilus diving center, has been taking care of the cleanliness of the seabed of this area, as well as the preservation of its biosystem, together with the largest chain of marinas in the Mediterranean which continuously takes care of the preservation of the environment, in order to leave a preserved sea and coast as a legacy to future generations.