Oyster farmer forced to quit - by Royal order
A Devon oyster farmer is reported to be quitting his business following pressure from his royal land owner.
The Duchy of Cornwall, which is owned by Prince William, has said it does not want oyster farming on its land on the banks of the River Avon near Bantham. The farm has been operated by Tim Edwards for the past decade.
Edwards has told the BBC that the duchy is not renewing his lease because it believes the type of Pacific oysters, which he breeds, are an invasive species.
The Duchy says that phasing out Pacific oysters protects the marine environment and aligns with conservation groups and government policy.
But he argues that this does not match the reality he sees every day on the river.
"As far as I can see, the scientific consensus is that they’re broadly beneficial," said Edwards, who used to be a fish farmer in Scotland.
The Shellfish Association of Great Britain is on Tim Edwards side calling the Duchy policy as being “short-sighted”.
The Association says that prohibiting Pacific oysters stifles investment and deprives vulnerable rural areas of vital coastal jobs and sustainable food production, the BBC has reported.
Pacific oysters are sometimes known as rock oysters, are not native to the UK.
He argues that his stock is triploid, external, meaning functionally sterile, so it cannot breed in the wild. A habitat regulation assessment found no adverse environmental impact.
"It’s beyond any reasonable scientific doubt that we’re not having any adverse impact on the environment," he claims.
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