Oct

23

Mussel crisis forces exceptional measures

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Mussel farming in Vigo estuary. (Photo: Xelo2004 CC BY-SA 3.0)

Mussel crisis forces exceptional measures





SPAIN


Thursday, October 24, 2013, 00:20 (GMT + 9)

Galicia’s government decided to take exceptional measures to deal with the critical situation faced by mussel producers following the red tide affecting the Galician estuaries.

Last week, members of a mussel committee evaluated the possibility that the Secretariat of Marine Affairs of Xunta de Galicia authorizes more strings per platform for producers to be able to perform divisions and try to save part of the harvest. So far, the workers can not extract the bivalve because of the lipophilic toxin.

In response to this request, the authorities of the Secretariat sent announcements to the groups of mussel fishermen announcing that they agreed with the proposal and had ‘green light’.

The mussel fishermen welcomed the fact that they were able to allow another 100 strings hanging per platform, the newspaper La Voz de Galicia reported. They hope that this measure will allow them to ‘save’ part of next year’s harvest, as the present season and that of 2014 are at stake.

However, some consider this initiative is a bit late, since a great deal of the bivalve is at the bottom of the estuary.

Meanwhile, the producers contacted the Galician government so that when the toxicity level lowers, polygons can be divided, at least the largest ones, to make further partial analysis and try to speed up the openings.

From the government, they said the idea is being analysed.

The red tide this week forced the closure of two polygons of the Vigo estuary, one of which as a precautionary measure, the newspaper Faro de Vigo informed.

The mussel farming parks affected are Redondela A, which amounts to about 50 platforms and is found after Domaio port; and the Redondela E, located in Chapela, which has just half a dozen nurseries.

In the first case it is a precautionary closure and is pending what is determined by the new assessments performed by the Technological Institute for the Control of the Marine Environment of Galicia (Intecmar).

Related article:

– Mussel polygons reopened after red tide remission

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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