Saving the Nacras of the Mar d’Amunt

Ninety percent of these mollusks have disappeared from the Mediterranean Sea.

During 2023, in an effort to protect the diversity of marine life, we held our first Tambolillo in the Mar d’Amunt. What exactly are tambolillos? They are actions we carry out for marine conservation. In this specific case, our Tambolillo was carried out in the Natura 2000 Area of ​​Llançà, in collaboration with the NGO Submon, with the goal of collecting mother-of-pearl larvae. These magnificent animals, the largest bivalve mollusks in the Mediterranean Sea, are an emblematic species that has experienced a worrying decline in recent years.

A devastating parasite

We sadly remember the tragic mass mortality event that occurred at the end of 2016, when a new parasite affected the digestive system of mother-of-pearl larvae, leading to the death of more than 90% of the total population.

On October 10, 2023, as we removed the collectors installed at the beginning of the summer, we received news that filled our hearts with hope: we had found a mother-of-pearl larva! This tiny creature, a critically endangered species, represents a ray of light in our marine conservation mission.

With excitement palpable in the air, we prepared to deliver this precious larva to the Wildlife Service of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government), where it will be cared for and protected as part of our efforts to safeguard the diversity of our marine ecosystem. We would like to express our gratitude to SUBMON, whose mission is the conservation of marine biodiversity, for their invaluable support in this noble initiative.