The blue crab emergency is triggered again in Italy. A new invasion on the Italian coast has triggered an unprecedented crisis in the fishing and aquaculture sector. The situation, especially today critical in the Po Delta and in the coastal regions of the Upper Adriaticrequires decisive and coordinated action to mitigate damage and protect marine resources.
6 million euros arrive to tackle the blue crab emergency in Italy
As reported by Coldiretti, in the Comacchio region, during a discussion of the Economic Policies Commission, an allocation of six million euros to deal with the Blue Crab emergency. These funds will be used to support agriculture and aquaculture, with particular attention to the disposal of blue crab unfit for trade and catering.
The social partners involved have in fact expressed concern about the harmful effects on the fishing and aquaculture sector. Vincenzo Rizzardi, administrator of the Po Delta Fishermen’s Consortium, underlined in particular the importance of regional incentives and launched an appeal for greater commitment in countering the invasion.
Territories at risk in Italy
According to Coldiretti Impresa Pesca, those who are most affected by the negative consequences due to the invasion are in particular the territories in the Po Delta and in the regions of the Upper Adriatic, with fish production reduced by up to 80% in the affected areas. The lagoons, pockets and coastal strip, which are home to some of the largest bivalve mollusc farms in Europe, are particularly damaged.
Despite the interventions of the Ministry of Agriculture, which has already allocated funds for the capture and disposal of the Blue Crab and for the protection of farms, the situation remains critical. Current resources may not be sufficient to solve the problem, with estimates indicating potential damages of up to 200 million euros.
The appointment of an extraordinary commissioner is proposed
Precisely because of the situation that has arisen, the president of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini, has for this reason requested the appointment of an extraordinary commissioner for start intensive blue crab capture campaignsbut also to encourage fishermen and restore lagoon habitats in the Po Delta.
This is because, as has been explained, A concerted effort is needed at national and regional levels to address this emergency and protect the marine ecosystem and local communities affected.
Consequences on the economy, what is at risk
Analyzing the wide-ranging emergency, the invasion of the blue crab in Italy may also have negative consequences on the economy.
If fishing and aquaculture activities suffer serious damage due to the presence of the blue crabcausing considerable financial losses for fishermen, farmers and related industries, the negative impact on fish and shellfish production can lead to a reduction in working hours and the redundancy of many employees.
Sole traders and cooperatives can also find themselves in financial difficulty due to the decrease in profitswith the risk of layoffs and unemployment.
In the end, Not even tourism is exempt from damageas coastal communities may suffer significant losses due to reduced availability of fresh seafood and decreased tourist attractiveness of the areas affected by the invasion.
In practice, this is a situation that could trigger a series of ripple effectalso involving other related economic activities.
In summary, the blue crab invasion has a significant impact on the local and national economy, with direct consequences on employment, commercial activities and the well-being of coastal communities. It is therefore necessary to adopt urgent and coordinated measures to address this emergency and mitigate the economic and social damage caused by the presence of the blue crab in Italy.
