The Willingness to Assess and Contribute to Pinna-SOS Recovery Actions of Marine Fishers/Farmers and Stakeholders

Abstract

The present study aimed to address the issue of pressure on the remaining populations of the critical endangered species, fan mussel, Pinna nobilis, in the Eastern Mediterranean. Marine professional (shell/fish farmers, divers, fishers, administrators, etc.) stakeholders’ knowledge (n = 151) in Greece reports that there was a reduction (81.6%) of the P. nobilis individuals during the last 15 years, especially in the years 2010–2012 and 2017–2018. Species’ abundance decline is significantly (ρ = 0.293, p < 0.05) correlated over the last 5 years with the observed natural ecosystem degradation. Participants also stated that the main cause was pathogens alone (28.8%) or in combination with (illegal) fishing (17.1%) or pollution (14.4%). Additionally, 88% of them supported a total prohibition on the use of fan mussels for commercial purposes in order to restore stock levels.; 72.4% stated claimed that no appropriate control was in place and that they (>59.4%) were unsure if this monitoring control is carried out by the competent authorities. Marine stakeholders consider the importance of the species for biodiversity preservation (56.1%), environmental education (35.1%), and diving parks (29.7%). They declared that it is important to record-observe P. nobilis conservation reserves regions (42.6%), monitor areas of responsibility (39.9%), participate in the information society/use of social networks (38.5%), and participate in informational meetings (37.9%). The lack of interest among shell/fish farmers to contribute to P. nobilis on-growing farming indicates the ignorance to the potential benefits of the valuable ecosystem services provided by aquaculture through biodiversity conservation. Nevertheless, there is a demand for promoting the “conservation aquaculture” concept through its incorporation into marine farming activities supplementary to their core business in “production”.