In Italy, the proliferation of blue crabs threatens the famous spaghetti alle vongole

In the waters of the Scardovari lagoon, fishermen harvest clams for the preparation of a very popular dish in Italy, the famous "spaghetti alle vongole", an activity endangered by the blue crab. This invasive species, native to the Atlantic coast of North America, has been present for years in the Mediterranean, but in recent months its accelerated multiplication has become a serious problem on the Adriatic coast near Venice. "The blue crabs devour everything. This lagoon is becoming a desert," laments Gianluca Travaglia, a producer of clams and mussels. He took over the business of his father and grandfather on the Scardovari lagoon, one of the branches of the Po estuary, the largest river in Italy that flows into the Adriatic Sea. "Every day that passes, we catch more and more, I don't know what to do," the fisherman confesses helplessly to AFP, guiding his boat on the lagoon. His colleagues are faced with the same situation: "they can't even use their nets anymore because the ...