Adriatic Sea mussel die-off causes massive economic damage

The northern Adriatic Sea is experiencing a massive die-off of mussels caused by extreme sea temperatures and oxygen depletion (anoxia). In some of the hardest-hit areas, more than 90 percent of production has been destroyed.

According to Confcooperative Agroalimentare e Pesca, between 20,000 and 25,000 tons of mussels ready for sale have perished. The crisis is particularly severe in the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, specifically in the area between Gora and Porto Garibaldi, which accounts for over 60 percent of regional sea-grown mussel production.

Water temperatures in the Scardovari Gulf reached 32 degrees Celsius, a condition exacerbated by algal blooms that further reduce available oxygen. The economic damage is currently estimated at over 50 million euros, though the final cost may be higher. Because the die-off includes young mussels intended for future cycles, the impact is expected to extend into 2027. As a result, local fishing cooperatives have had to suspend the sale of mussels with protected designation of origin grown in lagoons, limiting production to open-sea farms.