The minimum size for harvesting clams drops from 25 to 22 millimetres, as requested by Italy to support the Adriatic Sea economy — with a commitment to preserving sustainability.
From the beginning of 2017, clams will be smaller. Or rather, the ones that end up on our plates will be allowed to be: the European Commission has approved a change to the minimum size from 25 to 22 millimetres that the molluscs must reach in order to be harvested legally, without incurring fines and seizures. It might appear at first glance to be a minor amendment, yet its impact could be far-reaching, above all for Italy, which for three years — backed by scientific evidence — had been pressing hard for this measure to safeguard fishing in the Adriatic Sea, long under strain for two reasons: "Climate change has made clams smaller," as Impresapesca Coldiretti explains, and the variety of clam found in the Mediterranean Sea, the so-called 'lupino', is inherently smaller than the standard size.
The undersecretary for agricultural, food and forestry policy Giuseppe Castiglione assured that "we care deeply about environmental sustainability and compliance with the rules, but rules must take into account the specific characteristics of each context and the needs of those who make their living from the sea — and in this case we are talking about approximately 710 businesses and over 1,600 workers, to which must be added a further 300 wholesale trading businesses and another 1,000 workers." In exchange for the amendment, Italy has committed to monitoring that clam stocks remain at sustainable levels and that there is no excessive harvesting, "but from today," said Castiglione, "our fishermen are better protected and exports, which account for almost half of national production, are safe."
The EU green light saves not only clam-based menus but also exports, which account for almost half of national production, and could therefore prove a genuine boon for the national economy. Italy was supported in its fight also by the Mediterranean Advisory Council (Medac), a body made up of European and national organisations representing the fishing sector, which more than a year ago, in an opinion addressed to the EU, had called for a reduction in the minimum size limits for Italian clams.
