DEVELOPMENT OF OPERATIONAL MEASURES AIMED AT THE CONTAINMENT AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF THE BLUE CRAB (Callinectes sapidus) 

Project:
EMFAF 2021–2027 Programme (PN FEAMPA 2021/2027), Local Development Strategy of the GALPA Costa Emilia-Romagna, ACTION 1.A.4 – Management plans and marketing plans aimed at containing the spread of alien species and predators, and at assessing containment solutions and market potential.

Intervention Code: 331214 – Operations 21, 22, 56 – Year 2024.

Beneficiary:
University of Ferrara – Terra&Acqua Tech Laboratory

Location:
Goro (FE), northern area of the FLAG Costa Emilia-Romagna

General Objective:
The ultimate objective of this project is to address the need to develop and assess economically viable alternatives to the incineration disposal of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) harvested in Goro, with the aim of providing local economic operators with a reference framework for creating new income opportunities.

In the Goro area, the entire economic system—particularly the cooperative sector—has been severely affected since the population explosion of the species in spring 2023. This is mainly due to the collapse of clam farming production, which in 2024 decreased by 85% compared to pre-emergency levels.

This situation has led, and continues to lead, to loss of income and employment, as well as the closure of entire cooperatives, with negative repercussions not only economically but also socially. It is estimated that in the past two years, numerous jobs linked to cooperatives have been lost in Goro. In some cases, cooperatives have seen their income reduced to zero or by more than 80%, forcing them to sell vessels and equipment at a loss, without any clear prospects for diversification or productive requalification.

The current scenario reflects a disruption of the production chain related to clam farming, as well as a shock to the local socio-economic system.

Timeline:
12 months, from October 2025 to September 2026

Project Budget:  €44,849.80

Expected Results:

• To identify critical aspects and potential opportunities across different sustainable blue crab value chains, with the aim of selecting those with the highest techno-economic development potential;

• To characterize the crab’s meat and carapace in terms of chemical composition, with a view to identifying high value-added compounds;

• To combine technological upgrading (leading to optimization of the production system) with environmental awareness, economic vitality, and social development;

• To transform sustainable management into a process that fosters knowledge generation, stakeholder integration, and awareness of potential benefits.

Expected Territorial Impacts:

• To lay the foundations for economic requalification in the FLAG area affected by the blue crab emergency, by proposing a new sustainable production chain as an income diversification opportunity grounded in scientific, environmental, and economic evidence;

• To enhance the value of blue crab catches by promoting the creation of a profitable commercial supply chain for cooperatives;

• To generate added value through productive requalification by containing the spread of the blue crab through fishing activities and transforming it into a potential income source, thereby enabling the gradual recovery of clam farming;

• To assess the impact of the new production scenario on economic and social sustainability indicators, in order to redefine the vitality of cooperatives and the affected area;

• To estimate the value generated along the integrated production chain (crab + clams) for the Sacca di Goro and the companies involved, including an assessment of potential market demand for innovative blue crab-based products;

• To strengthen the role and visibility of cooperatives as strategic actors capable of protecting fishery resources and the surrounding community.