Living under threat: Will one of the last <i>Pinna nobilis</i> populations be able to survive?

The critically endangered fan mussel Pinna nobilis, endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, faces a drastic population decline all over Sea owing an infectious disease. Coastal lagoons represent one of this species’ last reservoirs; thus, knowledge conservation status in these ecosystems is essential. An extensive monitoring programme was conducted during 2014, 2017 and 2019 Mar Menor lagoon, highly eutrophicated lagoon from Spain. On average, 32,535 m2 have been surveyed each year determine densities, distributions size structures. cumulative impacts produced by intensive agriculture activity around together with catastrophic meteorological phenomenon that occurred 2019, triggered significant densities mean shell sizes years. Additionally, some mussels were infected protozoan Haplosporidium pinnae. Therefore, current P. nobilis mainly composed young individuals specific areas are facing extreme situation. Urgent management actions focused on restoring ecosystem protecting urgently needed, reinforcement projects increase stock its reservoirs.