Overview
- Italian researchers from the University of Padua and OGS report mass occurrences of Mnemiopsis leidyi that are straining the Venice lagoon ecosystem.
- The comb jelly preys on plankton plus the larvae of fish, mussels and crustaceans, jeopardizing recruitment of commercially important species.
- Biologists cite explosive reproductive capacity—up to 10,000 eggs per day, self-fertilization capability and few predators—along with near-transparency that hampers early detection.
- Fisheries in the upper and middle Adriatic report clogged nets and operational difficulties, with Mussel fisheries in the north noting revenue losses.
- MEP Anna Maria Cisint urges the European Commission for swift measures and financial relief, as Italy notes it has already allocated millions to address invasive species, with the Black Sea’s collapse in fish stocks serving as a cautionary example.