True Clam Production in Italy Plummets 70% Amid Blue Swimming Crab Invasion Crisis

The production of true clams in Italy has plummeted by 70% from 2023 to the beginning of 2024, primarily due to the crisis caused by the invasion of the blue swimming crab. This decline has cast uncertainty over the future of clam farming, prompting concerns about the survival of the entire supply chain within the mollusk farming sector. The average annual production of 30 thousand metric tons (mt) has drastically decreased, with even bleaker forecasts predicted for the next two years.

In 2023, entire areas dedicated to clam farming in the Upper Adriatic region were devastated by the invasive alien species. The financial toll of this devastation is estimated to be at least USD 130.30 million (EUR 120 million) solely for production losses, with an overarching impact on the industry ranging between USD 434.33 and 542.91 million (EUR 400 to 500 million) in 2023 and extending into 2024. For instance, in the Scardovari area, clam harvesting in Dec-23 yielded only 160 quintals, a stark contrast to the average of 12 thousand to 15 thousand quintals recorded over the last decade.