Classification of a harvesting area is determined by the extent to which the
shellfish are contaminated by Escherichia coli. The sampling of the shellfish must
take place from a position that represents the production area and the samples
should represent the shellfish that will be placed on the market. For a production
area with no history of production and no existing population of market sized
shellfish, classification cannot take place until market sized shellfish have been
produced. In this case study the farm was offshore and used suspended culture
which meant that the farm had to be established and shellfish had to be grown
in situ before classification could take place.
9.3.4.5 Discussion of Current Licensing Process
The case described above shows that in theory the basic procedure for gaining
permission to establish and operate a suspended culture mussel farm in the offshore
zone in England was relatively straightforward and no different to that for an
inshore farm. In practice there was a great deal of difference and at nearly three
years, the full process took considerably longer than would normally be experienced for an inshore application.
The key delays were brought about by the lack of experience and knowledge
within the statutory agencies regarding the potential environmental and
socio-economic impacts of a large-scale offshore mussel farm. This is not surprising
as this application was the first of its kind, but the result was a lack of capability to
arrive at timely and relevant decisions which contributed to extended delays in
granting permission.
Environmental Impact
The issue of potential environmental impact centered on concerns over the effects of
increased sedimentation and organic enrichment directly below the culture ropes
and to what extent the sedimentation footprint of the farm would extend beyond the
boundaries of the farmed areas.
Whilst there was no particular concern about the seabed below most of the farm
areas, which had previously been impacted by towed fishing gear, there was concern about the potential impact on a marine Special Area of Conservation (mSAC)
that is adjacent to one of the three sites. There was very little experience to provide
reference on these issues as there were no UK precedents for a farm of this scale
built in an offshore high energy environment, and few comparable operations were
to be found elsewhere in the world.
A review was made of all the information available from other studies and this
was coupled with assumptions on production rates, stocking densities and management practices on the farms. Sinking rates of mussel faeces and pseudo-faeces,
depths, current velocities, wave induced turbulence, sediment re-suspension and
assimilation rates were estimated.
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J.S. Corbin et al.
shellfish are contaminated by Escherichia coli. The sampling of the shellfish must
take place from a position that represents the production area and the samples
should represent the shellfish that will be placed on the market. For a production
area with no history of production and no existing population of market sized
shellfish, classification cannot take place until market sized shellfish have been
produced. In this case study the farm was offshore and used suspended culture
which meant that the farm had to be established and shellfish had to be grown
in situ before classification could take place.
9.3.4.5 Discussion of Current Licensing Process
The case described above shows that in theory the basic procedure for gaining
permission to establish and operate a suspended culture mussel farm in the offshore
zone in England was relatively straightforward and no different to that for an
inshore farm. In practice there was a great deal of difference and at nearly three
years, the full process took considerably longer than would normally be experienced for an inshore application.
The key delays were brought about by the lack of experience and knowledge
within the statutory agencies regarding the potential environmental and
socio-economic impacts of a large-scale offshore mussel farm. This is not surprising
as this application was the first of its kind, but the result was a lack of capability to
arrive at timely and relevant decisions which contributed to extended delays in
granting permission.
Environmental Impact
The issue of potential environmental impact centered on concerns over the effects of
increased sedimentation and organic enrichment directly below the culture ropes
and to what extent the sedimentation footprint of the farm would extend beyond the
boundaries of the farmed areas.
Whilst there was no particular concern about the seabed below most of the farm
areas, which had previously been impacted by towed fishing gear, there was concern about the potential impact on a marine Special Area of Conservation (mSAC)
that is adjacent to one of the three sites. There was very little experience to provide
reference on these issues as there were no UK precedents for a farm of this scale
built in an offshore high energy environment, and few comparable operations were
to be found elsewhere in the world.
A review was made of all the information available from other studies and this
was coupled with assumptions on production rates, stocking densities and management practices on the farms. Sinking rates of mussel faeces and pseudo-faeces,
depths, current velocities, wave induced turbulence, sediment re-suspension and
assimilation rates were estimated.
220
J.S. Corbin et al.