Assessment of abundance and distribution of the Roman snail (Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758) in Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeship

Abstract

Populations of Helix pomatia L. in Poland have been commercially exploited since 1951; the snails are mostly exported. The growing interest in the Roman snail on the European market has resulted in its increased exploitation, in some areas leading to a considerable decrease in its abundance. Introducing export quota in 1964 did not prevent overexploitation. Precise assessment of abundance and distribution of the Roman snail populations in areas where it is exploited is necessary. In 2009 the team from the Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, conducted a preliminary assessment and mapping of the abundance and distribution of the Roman snail populations in Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeship. Most populations showed a low density. From scientific point of view the most reasonable solution would be to suspend exploitation in 2010 and continue monitoring, while decisions to issue permits for limited exploitation should be postponed till 2011. It would enable a more detailed estimation of the non-exploited populations and an assessment of losses resulting from exploitation of controlled reference populations. In this way acceptable limits of annual commercial collecting could be set for particular parts of the voivodeship