Proposed mussel fishery in the Stour

pvb said:
I don't know, that's why I asked the question. There doesn't seem to be anything in the draft order which bans anchoring. The management plan has a veiled reference to "enforcement of any intereference with the mussel stocks", but goes on to suggest poaching as the foremost concern.
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I think (but please be aware that I haven't checked in detail, and could be wrong) that a broadly similar operation exists in the Menai Straits, albeit with more movements of the mussels during their growing period. Perhaps someone knows what happens there?
 
Niffler said:
So a few retired locals who use a not very popular anchorage should be able to block much needed jobs for other local people? Sounds fair. Not.
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I would have thought the jobs created by the owners of boats moored in marinas and on moorings; being worked on in boatyards; and in the restaurants, pubs and shops far exceeds any potential workforce mussel fishing.
 
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There'll be no local jobs created. The company is based in Leigh on Sea, and they'll just wander up the coast every year or so with a dredger and harvest the mussels.
 
I would have thought that leisure yachting interests and these ideas could cheerfully co-exist. If they are beds, we can happily sail over them except perhaps when someone is drudging and there is plenty of space outside of those areas to anchor. I am trying to recall the exact position of the spoil dumping ground in the Stour and think that might conflict. I must look it up.
 
Kurrawong_Kid said:
I would have thought the jobs created by the owners of boats moored in marinas and on moorings; being worked on in boatyards; and in the restaurants, pubs and shops far exceeds any potential workforce mussel fishing.
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But surely the logical comparison would be of the value of those jobs in marinas, boatyards, restaurants etc. which would be lost (if any) were a mussel fishery to be developed, set against the value of the employment generated by such a fishery?
 
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tillergirl said:
I would have thought that leisure yachting interests and these ideas could cheerfully co-exist. If they are beds, we can happily sail over them except perhaps when someone is drudging and there is plenty of space outside of those areas to anchor. I am trying to recall the exact position of the spoil dumping ground in the Stour and think that might conflict. I must look it up.
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We don't all sail from marina to marina or pick a mooring buoy. Some of us like to anchor.

Surely these mussel beds reduce the options for anchoring in that 'quiet' secluded/undisturbed spot.

As I said in my previous post (perhaps not clearly) the available anchoring areas in the Stour will become a lot more crowded because of the restrictions.

Selfishly, that's not something I desire.
 
Hydrozoan said:
But surely the logical comparison would be of the value of those jobs in marinas, boatyards, restaurants etc. which would be lost (if any) were a mussel fishery to be developed, set against the value of the employment generated by such a fishery?
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The Orwell marinas will close because a few retired townies will have to anchor in a slightly different place? Whilst you're making that argument, could you suggest they stop those horrid big ships using the Orwell? The council could turn the docks into a nice set of tea rooms and souvenir shops :)
 
Niffler said:
The Orwell marinas will close because a few retired townies will have to anchor in a slightly different place? Whilst you're making that argument, could you suggest they stop those horrid big ships using the Orwell? The council could turn the docks into a nice set of tea rooms and souvenir shops :)
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Similar to Honfleur then but with instant coffee
 
tillergirl said:
I would have thought that leisure yachting interests and these ideas could cheerfully co-exist. If they are beds, we can happily sail over them except perhaps when someone is drudging and there is plenty of space outside of those areas to anchor. I am trying to recall the exact position of the spoil dumping ground in the Stour and think that might conflict. I must look it up.
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I no longer inhabit the Roach River, but for many years there was an buoyed oyster lease on the north side of Devil's Reach that was serviced by a single man in an open boat that used to come from the direction of Burnham, so perhaps local and not a big corporation. No-one needed to attempt to anchor there as there was still plenty of river left over for anchoring. occasionally at low tide it forced those of us tacking up the Roach to tack earlier than we would have perhaps liked. I have at night heard the thunk as I misjudged the position of his buoys.

Personally I think there is a lot to be said for peaceful co-existence and particularly allowing someone the opportunity to earn a living even when it may force us to choose an anchorage other than the one we have traditionally used.
 
Glayva said:
I no longer inhabit the Roach River, but for many years there was an buoyed oyster lease on the north side of Devil's Reach that was serviced by a single man in an open boat that used to come from the direction of Burnham, so perhaps local and not a big corporation. No-one needed to attempt to anchor there as there was still plenty of river left over for anchoring. occasionally at low tide it forced those of us tacking up the Roach to tack earlier than we would have perhaps liked. I have at night heard the thunk as I misjudged the position of his buoys.

Personally I think there is a lot to be said for peaceful co-existence and particularly allowing someone the opportunity to earn a living even when it may force us to choose an anchorage other than the one we have traditionally used.
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Agreed BUT there is plenty of other places further to the West to lay mussel beds out of every body's way
 
Niffler said:
The Orwell marinas will close because a few retired townies will have to anchor in a slightly different place? Whilst you're making that argument ...
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I wasn't making that argument at all! I was pointing out that Kurrawong_Kid's comparison of the total jobs servicing lesiure boats with the number of mussel jobs created was illogical, as the latter should be compared against the loss (if any, as I said) of leisure-boat-related jobs.

I personally think it unlikely that leisure-boat-related jobs would be put at risk by the mussel beds, but I might be wrong. The important point is that if that risk is being postulated it should be the putative lost jobs, not the total of leisure-boat-related jobs, that should be compared with the fishery jobs created.

I hope that my position and argument are clear!
 
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