Hungarian tourists commit crime at Croatian beach, police react quickly

An employee of the local veterinary institute called the police on Hungarian tourists on the island of Vir, Croatia. The tourists were lifting rare, endangered and protected noble pen shells (Pinna nobilis) out of the water.

Hvg writes that a group of Hungarian tourists were lifting up endangered noble pen shells on the island of Vir. According to Morski.hr‘s report, a staff member of the institute who was diving in the area sent the photos to a colleague in the capital, with the caption “Hungarians are taking noble pen shells out of the water!”. The colleague in Zagreb therefore called the nearest police station, in Zadar, where, to his surprise, the policemen understood the seriousness of the matter. After viewing the photos, police officers were sent to the scene.

An unintentional crime

Meanwhile, the staff member of the local veterinary institute who was on the spot also warned the Hungarians. The tourists were shocked to learn that the noble pen shell is so rare that only 26 specimens are reported to be left in the Adriatic Sea. In addition, they were also unaware of the risk to mussels’ lives they could cause by moving them. The Hungarian tourists could not even tell if these mussels were still alive. Police arrived at the scene within twenty minutes of the phone call. The local conservation law strictly prohibits the collection of not only live but even dead noble pen shell scallops.

It is not mentioned in the Croatian article whether the clueless Hungarians were fined. However, the report seems to indicate that the sea creatures survived.

Noble pen shells

The noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) is a large type of Mediterranean clam. It can grow up to 120 cm, but the usual length is 30–50 cm. Its shape depends on its surroundings and the region. Unfortunately, this species is highly prone to diseases and sensitive to pollution. The noble pen shell has been threatened by extinction in multiple countries including Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Tunisia, France and Morroco.