{"id":64832,"date":"2025-07-11T12:38:28","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T10:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/news-general\/croatia-adria-noble-pen-shell\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T12:38:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T10:38:28","slug":"croatia-adria-noble-pen-shell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/this-that\/croatia-adria-noble-pen-shell\/","title":{"rendered":"<span class=\"dachzeile\">Croatian Adriatic<span>: <\/span><\/span>Yellow buoys to preserve the \u201cnoble-pen-shell\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Priroda, a Croatian public institution, is currently distributing yellow spherical buoys along the Croatian Adriatic coast to aid in the research and conservation of the endangered noble pen shell. Recreational boaters should not moor their boats to these buoys or touch them under any circumstances.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The noble pen shell, also known as the <a title=\"Wikipedia: Edle Steckmuschel\" href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Edle_Steckmuschel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">large pen shell (Pinna nobilis)<\/a> with a shell that can reach up to 1.2 meters in length, is found throughout the Mediterranean, where it usually lives in coastal, sandy seagrass meadows (Zostera and Posidonia communities) at a depth of three to ten meters, upright with its tip stuck in the sediment \u2013 hence the name \u201cnoble pen shell.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64820\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64820\" style=\"width: 750px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236-750x470.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-64817\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236-750x470.jpg\" alt=\"Noble pen shell in seaweed: Project Priroda\" width=\"750\" height=\"470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236-750x470.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236-1200x752.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236-1536x963.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236-1140x714.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-07-11_seahelp_edle-steckmuschel_kroatien_adria_schutz_as299302236.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64820\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"copy-span-inline\"><a class=\"copy-img-link\" href=\"https:\/\/stock.adobe.com\/de\/images\/several-molluscs-noble-pen-shell-pinna-nobilis-underwater-on-a-seabed-with-neptune-grass-mediterranean-sea\/299302236\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u00a9 Blackbookphoto | Adobe Stock<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, the noble pen shell is currently threatened with extinction. One of the reasons for this is overfishing, as the shell \u2013 which is now strictly protected \u2013 is edible and was once popular as a seafood delicacy. Since ancient times, its golden shimmering byssus threads have also been used to make shell silk, which was highly prized as an extremely valuable fabric. Another reason for the species&#8217; extinction is the increasing <a title=\"Environment &amp; Nature\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/tag\/environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pollution of the coastal areas<\/a> of the Mediterranean Sea.<\/p>\n<h2>A parasite is making noble pen shells sick; this species is threatened with extinction<\/h2>\n<p>However, the mussel is currently being wiped out by a single-celled parasite called Haplosporidium pinnae, which lodges itself in the animals, makes them sick and ultimately kills them.<\/p>\n<p>The so-called endoparasite is causing a mass die-off of the mussels, which has been observed since 2016 and, according to the IUCN, has led to \u201can 80 to 100 percent decline in the affected populations\u201d (the <a title=\"IUCN\" href=\"https:\/\/iucn.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IUCN<\/a> is an organization that maintains the \u201cRed List of Threatened Species\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Experts and institutions throughout the Adriatic are therefore currently working on the \u201cConservation of the Noble Pen shell in the Adriatic\u201d project to prevent the complete disappearance of this natural marine cleaner and to preserve the endemic and largest shellfish species, which is considered one of the most popular motifs of the underwater world.<\/p>\n<h2>A project is working to prevent the complete disappearance of the giant clam<\/h2>\n<p>Scientists in Croatia are also currently taking action to protect the large clam: the public institution \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/ju-priroda.hr\/2024\/12\/pregledani-su-kolektori-za-prihvat-mladi-plemenite-periske-postavljeni-na-rabu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" >Priroda<\/a>\u201d has set up collection containers for young noble pen shells in Jadranovo, whose seabed was once home to the noble pen shell. in Jadranovo, whose seabed was once home to the noble pen shell, has set up collection containers for young noble pen shells.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-container brlbs-cmpnt-content-blocker brlbs-cmpnt-with-individual-styles\" data-borlabs-cookie-content-blocker-id=\"facebook-content-blocker\" data-borlabs-cookie-content=\"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\">\n<div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-preset-b brlbs-cmpnt-cb-facebook\">\n<div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-thumbnail\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/borlabs-cookie\/1\/cb-facebook-main.png')\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-main\">\n<div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-content\">\n<p class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-description\">You are currently viewing a placeholder content from <strong>Facebook<\/strong>. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-provider-toggle\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-show-provider-information role=\"button\">More Information<\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-buttons\"> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-unblock role=\"button\">Unblock content<\/a> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-accept-service role=\"button\" style=\"display: inherit\">Accept required service and unblock content<\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The researchers hope that the small and delicate larvae in the bright yellow, buoy-shaped containers will be accepted by the young animals and thus be able to develop into fully grown animals.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Recreational skippers are asked not to touch the yellow buoys labeled \u201cProject for the conservation of the noble pen shell in the Adriatic Sea\u201d under any circumstances and, in particular, not to moor their boats to them.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Priroda, a Croatian public institution, is currently distributing yellow spherical buoys along the Croatian Adriatic coast to aid in the research and conservation of the endangered noble pen shell. Recreational boaters should not moor their boats to these buoys or touch them under any circumstances. The noble pen shell, also known as the large pen [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":64826,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[575],"tags":[412,176,512],"class_list":["post-64832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-this-that","tag-adriatic-sea","tag-croatia","tag-environment"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64832"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64832\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}