Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, cilt.333, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study investigated spat settlement, growth performance, and outplanting of the endangered fan mussel Pinna nobilis in the Bandırma–Ocaklar area of the Marmara Sea. The study was conducted in two consecutive phases: (1) spat collection and rearing (July 2023–October 2024), and (2) outplanting to the seabed (October 2024–October 2025). In the first phase, 23 P. nobilis spat were collected using mesh bag collectors and transferred into spherical PVC baskets for suspended rearing. Total wet weight and shell morphometric traits (length, width, and height) were measured monthly, together with environmental parameters including chlorophyll-a, seawater temperature, salinity, particulate organic matter (POM), and particulate inorganic matter (PIM). The specific growth rate of total wet weight showed a positive correlation with temperature, whereas shell width growth was negatively associated with salinity. One basket was lost during an extreme storm event in November 2023, considered one of the most intense recorded in the region over the last 20 years and which also caused damage to local mussel farms. Following this event, the remaining 13 individuals were maintained under controlled density conditions. Survival reached 100% throughout the rearing phase. A positive allometric relationship was observed between shell length–weight and shell length–width, while an isometric relationship was found between shell length–height. By the end of the rearing phase, individuals reached mean values of 162.72 ± 5.37 mm in shell length, 73.72 ± 3.13 mm in width, 16.57 ± 0.85 mm in height, and 89.60 ± 10.04 g in total wet weight. In the second phase, individuals were planted to the seabed and monitored for one year. Survival again remained at 100%, and mean shell length and width increased by 89.47 mm and 35.27 mm, reaching 252.19 ± 5.21 mm and 109.00 ± 2.26 mm by the end of the two-year period. This study represents the first successful implementation of spat settlement, rearing, and outplanting of P. nobilis in the Marmara Sea and offers practical insights for the conservation of this critically endangered species.