Mussel Farmers See Glimmer of Hope Amid Brexit Uncertainty
Skipper Alan Owen navigates the Valente through the Menai Strait, home to some of the UK's best mussel grounds. His father and uncle were among thousands of local people employed in the industry before it collapsed post-Brexit.
The eastern Menai Strait has long been Britain's largest mussel farming area. However, with Brexit, the industry suffered significantly as most mussels were exported to Europe, where demand is high for shellfish. The UK's shellfish industry is now valued at less than £12m a year and is crucial for some coastal communities.
Since Brexit, mussel production has plummeted from around 10,000 tonnes annually to just five tonnes in 2022. Only one of four mussel fishing companies remains operational, with the others sold or redeployed. The only company still harvesting mussels sells small quantities to UK customers.
There is a glimmer of hope for the industry thanks to the proposed "reset" deal between the UK and EU. Britain's shellfish exporters and food producers are expected to benefit from reduced sanitary and phytosanitary controls, along with lower health and veterinary checks. However, this will not happen before 2027.
The waters in the Menai Strait are rated "class B", which means mussels can be sold for human consumption if purified or moved to "class A" water within a month. Some fishermen believe that sewage outflows have harmed water quality in recent years.
New purification facilities are being built, and investment has given Owen hope that local mussel beds can be revived. However, others remain pessimistic about the industry's future prospects. James Wilson, owner of Deepdock, believes it will be hard to restart significant mussel exports due to uncertainty over seed mussels and potential SPS agreement implementation.
Many other shellfish businesses in the UK are "on hold". David Jarrad, chief executive of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain, warns that the longer an SPS agreement is delayed, the less likely it will be for them to start trading again. The industry is missing out on a potential growth sector, with the UK located in a prime spot for cultivating shellfish.
While there are still many challenges ahead, Owen remains optimistic about his chances of reviving the industry. "The customers are still there," he says. "If they pick up the phone and order, we deliver."
Skipper Alan Owen navigates the Valente through the Menai Strait, home to some of the UK's best mussel grounds. His father and uncle were among thousands of local people employed in the industry before it collapsed post-Brexit.
The eastern Menai Strait has long been Britain's largest mussel farming area. However, with Brexit, the industry suffered significantly as most mussels were exported to Europe, where demand is high for shellfish. The UK's shellfish industry is now valued at less than £12m a year and is crucial for some coastal communities.
Since Brexit, mussel production has plummeted from around 10,000 tonnes annually to just five tonnes in 2022. Only one of four mussel fishing companies remains operational, with the others sold or redeployed. The only company still harvesting mussels sells small quantities to UK customers.
There is a glimmer of hope for the industry thanks to the proposed "reset" deal between the UK and EU. Britain's shellfish exporters and food producers are expected to benefit from reduced sanitary and phytosanitary controls, along with lower health and veterinary checks. However, this will not happen before 2027.
The waters in the Menai Strait are rated "class B", which means mussels can be sold for human consumption if purified or moved to "class A" water within a month. Some fishermen believe that sewage outflows have harmed water quality in recent years.
New purification facilities are being built, and investment has given Owen hope that local mussel beds can be revived. However, others remain pessimistic about the industry's future prospects. James Wilson, owner of Deepdock, believes it will be hard to restart significant mussel exports due to uncertainty over seed mussels and potential SPS agreement implementation.
Many other shellfish businesses in the UK are "on hold". David Jarrad, chief executive of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain, warns that the longer an SPS agreement is delayed, the less likely it will be for them to start trading again. The industry is missing out on a potential growth sector, with the UK located in a prime spot for cultivating shellfish.
While there are still many challenges ahead, Owen remains optimistic about his chances of reviving the industry. "The customers are still there," he says. "If they pick up the phone and order, we deliver."
. I mean, it's not like they haven't been trying for years already, but you know? It's about time the UK figured out how to make those mussels profitable again 
. And let's be real, who doesn't love a good plate of Welsh mussels with some crusty bread 
? I'm all for giving them another shot. On the flip side, I can see why some people are skeptical – the industry has been struggling for years, and you never know how things'll play out 
. Maybe we'll get lucky and it all works out in the end...
️ Mussels are like a puzzle 
- each piece (export market) is missing 
. Post-Brexit, the UK's mussel industry was hit hard 
. But, there's a light at the end of the tunnel 
! A "reset" deal between the UK and EU could be the key to reviving it 
.
Think of it like this: if we have fewer regulations (sanitary & phytosanitary controls), more mussels can be harvested 
. It's not a magic solution, but it's better than nothing 
.
New purification facilities are being built, which might help improve water quality in areas like the Menai Strait 
. And who knows? Maybe seaweed farming could become a thing 
to supplement mussel production?
. Some entrepreneurs are optimistic about restarting shellfish exports 
. Let's just hope the UK can navigate these waters without getting too stuck in the mud 
.
. The fact that it's going to take until 2027 for things to get better doesn't help either. It's like the UK is just waiting around for someone else to make a move. I wish they'd just sort out their own stuff first 
.
my grandma used to live near the coast and she always loved eating mussel risotto 
anyway i guess brexit has messed with the industry big time 
Anyway, Owen's still hopeful and stuff. I guess only time will tell if he can revive the industry or not. Fingers crossed! 
. And yeah, sewage outflows gotta be harming water quality too 
.
. Its not just about getting mussels back in the water, its also about getting the seed stock and SPS agreement sorted 
. And if that doesn't happen, other shellfish businesses will just keep on hold 
. Owen's optimism is cool and all 
. Mussel farming in the UK was always a bit dodgy if you ask me 
. But hey, at least they're trying to build new purification facilities and all that jazz 
. The EU stuff might help a bit, but I'm not sure how much of an impact it'll really make 
. Maybe they can find new markets or something? Who knows 
), but if it works out, I reckon we could see a resurgence in UK shellfish exports.
.
.
. Fingers crossed for these mussel farmers!