Reintroduction of the Great Pond Mussel in Lake Wörthersee and ESG Lendspitz-Maiernigg 2022-2025

The population of large mussels in Lake Wörthersee has declined dramatically. Since 2020, E.C.O. has therefore been carrying out a pilot project to reintroduce the Great Pond Mussel (Anodonta cygnea, Linné 1758) into Lake Wörthersee, specifically in the area of the European Protected Area Lendspitz-Maiernigg and in Lake Wörthersee, as part of "City meets Nature: Habitat Design for Moor Frog and Co. in the ESG Lendspitz-Maiernigg". A stable mussel population should also serve as a sustainable livelihood for the bitterling and thus lead to a new record of the bitterling in Lake Wörthersee. Because with the population of large mussels, the population of the bitterling is also inevitably affected. The females of this fish species lay their eggs in the mussels, where the larvae can develop in a protected environment during the first weeks. From 2020 to 2025 inclusive, an annual stocking of large pond mussels will take place as part of this project. At the same time, the development of the mussel population will be recorded as part of annual monitoring. The primary goal is to rebuild a stable population of large pond mussels in Lake Wörthersee and the Lendspitz-Maiernigg ESG.