Local people in Baosici and NGO Eko Boka appealed to the authorities to protect palastura (Pinna Nobilis) the biggest Mediterranean shell that "returned" to the coastal area on the Herceg Novi Riviera.
Palastura, which is noticed near the swimming pool, is a Mediterranean endemic and is highly endangered due to pollution of the sea, anchored ships, shoreline modification, marina construction, and it often happens that people who dive carry the shells home as a souvenir.
Eco Boka (Ecological Society of Boka Kotorska) addressed a letter to the Institute of Biology of the Sea in Kotor, dr Vesna Macic, who deals with the undersea flora, to visit the location in Baosici where the palastures were observed, and that in order to protect this marine sessile community (which firmly gathers at one place), initiates the necessary procedure for registering the community and its mapping.
They explain that due to the "increasing usurpation of the shore and the formation of artificial beaches, irreparable damage is inflicted to the submarine flora and fauna" and that therefore we should protect a rare, legally endangered species, which completely disappeared from the Herceg Novi Bay area and then re-formed in Baosici, but also in other parts of the coast.
Dr Macic noted that the existence of palastura (Pinna Nobilis) species protected by national legislation was established several meters from the coast - a decision on placing them under the protection of specific plant and animal species, as well as according to Barcelona Convention.
Dr Macic found that the seabed near the small pebble beach has unfavorable conditions for vagile (mobile) organisms that no longer find suitable ecological conditions for their nutrition, propagation and hiding from predators in such locations.
Also, in this part of the aquatorium, she encountered exotic plant submarine species, some of which, besides palastura, are still protected by law. She also noted a relatively dense settlement of brown algae Cystoseira barbata which is protected according to Barcelona Convention.
"This species is protected because it is a builder of coastal biocoenoses that can be compared to forests on land. In the spring and summer period, when it is the maximum growth of this algae, its talus can be as long as more than a dozen centimeters, in addition to creating organic substance and enriching water with oxygen, they are also a favorable habitat for many other organisms, especially for young crabs and fish. Unfortunately, this species (like many others) is endangered because it inhabits small depths and is therefore often under the direct influence of man due to the construction of infrastructure on the coast or the wastewater discharges," Dr Macic said.
She also warned that all works near this location should be carefully carried out as this alga is located very close to the coast.
According to the same legal documents, there is also a sea cucumber (Holothuria tubulosa) that is found on this site.
"With a more detailed survey of the subject location it is possible to determine the presence of some other protected species, but it certainly can be concluded that this is one of the few locations in the Herceg Novi municipality which is still not significantly degraded (dredged or paved), and it should remain as such," Dr Macic said.
Text by Slavica Kosic, on April 9th 2019, read more at Vijesti
