Mussel Farm Plan Sparks Protest

Mussel Farm Plan Sparks Protest

Fish Farming Today Published on: December 18, 2002

THE ROYAL Society for the Protection of Birds is to appeal to the Scottish Executive against a decision to site a mussel farm next to Shetland's largest breeding population of eider ducks.

Yesterday, Shetland Islands Council granted permission to East Voe Shellfish, of Scalloway, to set up a 44,000 square metre mussel farm next to the small island of Hildasay, off the west coast of the islands.

However, the RSPB said the site will be right next door to the Hoe Skerry, breeding site for 600 eider ducks which make up more than 10 per cent of the entire population in Shetland.

Local RSPB officer Pete Ellis warned: "When monitoring of eider ducks began in the 1970s there were 17,000 birds in Shetland. They have declined now by nearly two thirds to less than 6000, so this is a species with big problems."

Mussels are the staple diet of eider ducks, which are known locally as "dunters". Shellfish farmers have devised anti-predation nets to stop the birds from stripping their growing lines of food, but the nets can trap the ducks as they dive.

Mussel farming is a fast growing industry in Shetland, but problems with eider ducks have forced at least one company out of business. The Government was last year forced to rescind a licence it offered to one farm to shoot predatory eiders after environmental protest.