From a scientific point of view, it did not go quite as hoped, because no live specimens of Pinna nobilis were found, but the initiative in the centre of Trieste to publicise the LIFE PINNA project was nonetheless a success due to the participation of numerous citizens and even foreign tourists who had just disembarked from a cruise ship, intrigued by the unusual “urban dive”.
8 scuba divers from Shoreline and Area Marina Protetta Miramare dived for about an hour in the Grand Canal and searched a seabed historically favourable to the presence of the largest mollusc in the Mediterranean.

Until a few years ago, record-breaking concentrations could be admired (even 10 specimens per square meter) but this time only the shells of old, now dead organisms were found.

Better went, however, a few days after during the dive at Miramare for the “Sea Warm” project with collaboration in Greenpeace Italia during which researchers have found a specimens Pinna nobilis alive and not yet surveyed!

“This is very good news because it means an increase in the number of possible ‘breeders’ for the coming seasons”, said Saul Ciriaco, head of monitoring and research activities.

See the report of the TGR del Friuli Venezia Giulia

Photo: Davide Lombroso
Content edited by Triton Research in collaboration with Shoreline