Mussel beds plea to inquiry

UK - Mussel farming is vital for the future of the Wash, a public inquiry into whether fishermen should be able to scare ducks away from shellfish stocks has heard.

English Nature has refused to allow bird scarers to be placed in the estuary to drive eider ducks away from mussel beds.

It fears the devices would also disturb other species of bird, such as the internationally-important oyster catcher.

But fishermen have told a public inquiry sitting in Boston, Lincolnshire, that mussel farming will become unviable if they are not allowed to protect their stocks.

Source: EDP24