Mussel Farms

The proliferation of mussel farms in Mevagissey Bay is already a severe threat to our fishing industry, and now a further new site in the Lantivet Bay area is under consideration.

Traditional drift net fishing for pilchards can no longer be carried out in areas which have already been approved for mussels. If Lantivet Bay is approved additional fisheries such as ray, cod, bass, red mullet, whiting, cuttles, pollack, mackerel and lemon sole will be similarly devastated.

Mevagissey is the second largest fishing port in Cornwall and hundreds of people depend on the industry. The company which owns the mussel farms employs 10 people.

The existing mussel farms are poorly maintained with stray floating ropes and marker buoys causing a threat to navigation. Several serious incidents involving vessels have occurred.

Scientific studies have shown that mussel farms create a loss of biodiversity, starfish being the only creatures which can survive beneath them.

For all the above reasons we are opposed to the expansion of mussel farms in our area.

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