Taranto rejects non-native mussel seeds for Mar Piccolo

Taranto Mayor Piero Bitetti has refused to grant exemptions to the 2022 ordinance prohibiting the reintroduction of non-native mussel seeds in the Mar Piccolo. The decision follows a technical meeting involving environmental and scientific bodies, including Arpa Puglia, Asl, and the CNR, to address the crisis in the local mussel farming sector.

Local mussel farmers had requested permission to use non-native seed to mitigate the economic impact of high summer temperatures, which caused significant mortality among local stocks. While the administration has requested that the Puglia Region recognize a state of calamity to assist the industry, officials determined that the environmental risks outweigh the economic benefits.

Experts warned that introducing external seed could bring invasive species into the ecosystem. These alien species, which may be hidden in shells or valve cavities and invisible to the naked eye, could disrupt the biological balance of the Mar Piccolo and alter the specific characteristics of Taranto’s mussel production.