Background:

It was once the most abundant bivalve mussel around the world, but is fast declining in all countries and in many rivers nearly extinct. It is therefore also on the EU Red list for plants and animals considered in danger to become extinct. In Denmark it was thought to have been extinct in the only river, where it used to reside: Varde Creek, but a small batch of younger mussels have been found in 2022 during digging establishing a new electric cable. Predation during from the 16 to 18 hundred in the hunt for pearls for the royalties, and later industrialization straightening out the creeks for faster water stream and dams as part of electrifications followed by pollution from agriculture, has made its life opportunities almost impossible. The mussel requires very clean and oxygen rich water, and so a very strong indicator for a rivers ecological condition. Likewise, its lifecycle is dependent on either a sea trout or an Atlantic salmon as a host for its spread and growth. When the baby larva is ejected from the mussel, it snap shut onto the fish’s gills staying there for approximately 10 months before releasing itself. Hopefully they land on clean gravely or sandy substrates for later successfully growth, which is known to be up to 140 years. However, dams and pollution have many places made it impossible for those fish to go upstream, hence breaking the lifecycle of the mussel pushing it to its endangered extinction.

Project concept:

Setting up a smaller aquaponics sanctuary growing the mussel, infecting the trout or salmon host for later releasing the fish at prepared suitable grounds along the stream in alliance with relevant public institutions, civil society groups such as anglers and farmers. In aquaponics mussels grow in a closed loop symbiotic system with plants, leaving no pollution, saving heat and reducing CO2.

Prospect of setting up a parallel market oriented initiative growing pearls from Margaritafera as part of connecting history, nature conservation and teaching supporting economically the restoration project later on (first in the world)

Project can be organized in different steps starting out in Denmark and linking up with relevant partners and rivers in east and west Europe

Impact:

In the Creek of Varde in Denmark, large amounts of money have been spend making parts of the creek winding as well as securing passage for the trout and salmon to go upstream strengthening tourism and leisure around fishing. Likewise, polluting industries have been closed or sewage water is cleansed. Similar approaches can also be found in other European countries. Hence, a small window has been opened to secure a successful restoration of an endangered species. The project contains both the story of human greed and destruction as well as potentially a beautiful telling of giving back a cleaner and more nature rich future to the next generations. The prospect of producing pearls leaves also a symbol of wisdom, protection, serenity and longevity in regards to the endeavors of restoring the life of Margaritafera.

SDGs: 8, 9, 14 and 17