It is an ecological disaster that was discovered in the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Dozens of Mediterranean Pina Nobilis have been found dead, certainly because of a parasite that currently kills all the Mediterranean pearls.

With a height of 1 meter, this exceptional bivalve is most often held upright, with the hinge point rooted in the substrate by the byssus. It is found on sandy bottoms in the middle of Posidonia meadows.

Its flesh is not edible, and the fact that it has become very rare on our coastline is rather due to improper collection for ornamentation and exposure to nets, or to the anchors of the boats that pull them from their support.

Protected areas, or marine reserves, can promote the development and repopulation of such species. The Great Nacre is one of the protected species.

Report: Bernard Peyrano and Jean-Marc Sara – Images Anao/Olivier Jude