Western Morning News

FISHERY PUT AT RISK

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ONE of Cornwall’s traditiona­l fisheries has been put at risk because of the difficulti­es in exporting shellfish to Europe.

The oystermen who fish the Fal Estuary sell much of their catch – which is caught on vessels powered only by wind and oar – abroad.

Now, however, shellfish producers in the UK been told by the EU that because of Brexit all shellfish will have to go through a purificati­on process.

The ruling could spell the end of the Fal Oystery fishery, fishermen have warned.

Fishermen have been collecting the oysters from the estuary using their traditiona­l red-sailed wooden boats for hundreds of years.

Some go to local markets in Cornwall or are sold further afield in the UK – although the lockdown due to coronaviru­s, which has forced the closure of restuarant­s, has hit UK sales hard. Now a virtual ban on exporting to the EU could be the final nail in the coffin for some producers.

Local MP Cherilyn Mack rory said the issue had arisen purely because of the EU abruptly changing the rules. She said the small boat fishermen need to be urgently compensate­d.

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