In Italy, the beloved clam pasta is facing a supply crisis. The Italian Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperative Association has issued a warning that the native clams in Italy have been nearly wiped out due to the invasion of blue crabs, and another Mediterranean wild clam, Lupin, has seen a sharp decrease in production due to issues with marine mucilage.
According to a report by the Ansa news agency, the Italian Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperative Association (Confcooperative Fedagripesca) recently sounded a serious alarm. The massive influx of the invasive species of blue crabs has led to a crisis of extinction for native clams in Italy.
Clam pasta is one of the most classic dishes in Italy, but in the fish markets, it’s nearly impossible to find authentic Italian clams as the clam farms in the Po Delta in northern Italy have been taken over by blue crabs.
The wild Lupin clams, which were used as a substitute for Italian farmed clams, have also seen a drastic decrease in catch due to the increase in marine mucilage, commonly known as “sea snot,” in the Adriatic Sea area since this summer.
This marine gelatinous substance damages fishing gear, making fishing operations very difficult. Numerous algae deposits on the seabed pose a serious threat to clams and other bivalves. Due to oxygen depletion and rising water temperatures, the activity of shellfish has decreased significantly, leading to mass mortality.
According to statistics from the association, before the ravages of blue crabs and marine mucilage, the business of farming clams in Italy and catching Lupin clams was valued at up to 300 million euros. Now, fishermen are unable to fish due to issues like marine mucilage and are hoping for additional subsidies.
A survey conducted by the association revealed that 7 out of 8 Italians consider clam pasta their favorite pasta dish, underscoring the importance of clams as an ingredient in Italian cuisine.
Currently, most of the fresh clams on the Italian market are imported from Portugal. If Italy wants to rebuild clam farms in the northern regions of Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, it may need to import seedlings from Portugal as well.
However, the association is concerned that revitalizing the clam farming industry in Italy will not be easy. It will require reclaiming the water areas occupied by blue crabs, implementing effective isolation measures to prevent further invasions, and reintroducing clams into farming practices. The most challenging aspect of rehabilitation work, as pointed out by the association, is obtaining a large number of seedlings. It is estimated that tens of billions of seedling samples would be needed, a task that surpasses the current capacity of Italy’s hatcheries to manage and carry out such a massive breeding operation.
(Source: Central News Agency)