A study is under way into how pollution from natural run-off water may affect the quality of shellfish grown in shallow marine environments.
Posted: Tuesday 27th March 2007
"A unique and scientifically robust study in the River Fal will help us to understand the river and its catchments," said Steve Kestin, manager of the shellfish farming business Cornish Mussels.
In general, he said, the river had a high-quality environment, was well protected and economically important to many oyster fishermen, mussel-growers and shellfish processors, but what threat the run-off water posed to their future was as yet unknown.
Over the past year the river has suffered pollution incidents and periods of declining water quality, but there is no good information about why and how those problems occur. Prompted by requests from
mussel- growers and the oyster fishermen, the study aims to find why the water quality is being affected.
The study, over the next few weeks, is being carried out by Environmental Tracing Systems under contract to the Westcountry Rivers Trust with help from the Environment Agency, Falmouth and Truro Port Health Authority and the Truro Harbour Authority.
It is funded by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
(Defra) through its Fisheries Challenge Fund, Seafish and Cornwall County Council.
Other partners in the study are Cornish Mussels, Westcountry Mussels, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, the Port of Truro Oyster Fishery Management Group, Falmouth and Truro Port Health Authority and the Environment Agency.
Mr Kestin, who is helping with the study at his mussel farm in King Harry Passage, added: "I'm delighted to see that a definitive study is going on to find out more about the river and hopefully identify the sources of pollution which caused the seasonal downgrade in water quality classification from Grade B to C."
Deputy port health officer for Falmouth and Truro, Gary Cooper, who is helping with the daily water sampling, said: "The measurement of water quality which affects the shellfisheries is a concern of Port Health and we're very keen to see what the results show.This is a necessary study to target resources to improve water quality in the Fal Estuary."
