Dead clams have filled the Croatian bay of Mali Ston. In some farms, almost 90 percent of the clams have died. The animal plague is believed to be linked to record high temperatures in the Adriatic.
Croatia is recording record sea temperatures this season. Earlier in July, the sea near Dubrovnik reached 29.7 degrees Celsius – the highest since the introduction of measurements in the country. In other parts of the country, the average water temperature also exceeded the results from previous years.
“This is an unprecedented disaster”
An unprecedented mussel plague has been recorded in the southern Dalmatian bay of Mali Ston, Croatian television HRT reported on Friday. Owners of one of the nearby farms estimated the losses at almost 90 percent.
– This is an unprecedented disaster. We have 25 years of experience, we have been doing this all our lives, and there were other generations of breeding before us. I have never even heard of anything like this – said the breeder.
On average, in the area, known for the largest production of mussels in this part of Croatia, losses were estimated at around 80 percent. Experts agreed that the disease could be caused by elevated sea water temperatures, and they stressed that the causes should be investigated by the appropriate veterinary institutions.
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