Shell fishermen say they face ‘catastrophe’ as they are forced to stop harvesting clams, mussels and oysters after 6,000-litre oil spill
- Officials told fishermen not to harvest shellfish for the foreseeable future
- They have given no timeframe as to when the threat of poison is likely to ease
- Poole trade worth over £1m a year and leak could be a ‘total and utter disaster’
Shell fishermen have warned of a ‘catastrophe’ for their livelihoods after they were forced to lower their nets following the Poole Harbour oil leak.
Officials have told fishermen not to harvest clams, mussels and oysters from the seabeds of the world’s second biggest natural harbour for the foreseeable future.
They have given no timeframe as to when the threat of poison and contamination to crustacean fish in the harbour from the huge leak is likely to ease.
The trade is worth over £1 million a year to the coastal community and fishermen have warned the fall out from the leak has the potential to be a ‘total and utter disaster’ for them.
The worrying message comes after environmentalists questioned the apparent lack of urgency in the operation to clean up the 6,000 litres of crude oil that leaked from an underwater pipeline at 7am on Sunday.
Officials have told fishermen not to harvest clams, mussels and oysters from the seabeds of the world’s second biggest natural harbour for the foreseeable future. They have given no timeframe as to when the threat of poison and contamination to crustacean fish in the harbour from the huge leak is likely to ease
The worrying message comes after environmentalists questioned the apparent lack of urgency in the operation to clean up the 6,000 litres of crude oil that leaked from an underwater pipeline at 7am on Sunday
Tom Russell, 70, who has fished in Poole Harbour since he was 17, said fishermen are concerned how the oil leak will affect their livelihoods.
Mr Russell is chairman of Poole and District Fishermen’s Association and a harbour commissioner, as well as operating two commercial fishing boats himself.
He said: ‘It has got the potential to be a total and utter disaster for fishermen but at the moment we just don’t know.
‘Mud and water samples have been taken and tests are being done, which will hopefully take a week to a fortnight.
‘We’ve been told not to gather any clams or catch any fish in the harbour while tests are done.
‘Obviously the fishermen are worried. Our livelihood is being threatened through no fault of our own.’
Fresh aerial photos of the site of the leak, near to the Wytch Farm oil field on the Arne peninsula, appear to show a lack of workmen involved in the operation.
READ MORE: Residents of multi-million pound Sandbanks homes reveal fears for marine life and property as oil spill threatens nearby shoreline after 1,000 gallons burst from pipeline into sea
Anglo-French oil and gas company Perenco, which owns the oil field, have been urged to put more resources into the clan up operation.
Mr Russell continued: ‘Normally at this time of year a few fishermen catch grey mullet and there are some hand collecting clams.
‘But if it is still closed when the clam season starts in May, there’s 45 boats and most of them have crew so you’re looking at 80-90 people being affected, and then there’s the merchants that buy them.
‘The clam industry is really important to the fishermen of Poole and worth sales over £1m so this oil could be a catastrophe.’
Shocking drone video of the site revealed the huge scale of the clean-up.
Fisherman Pete Miles has run Dorset Oysters since 2008, purifying oysters and other shellfish caught in Poole Harbour and selling them to some of the UK’s top restaurants.
Mr Miles, 59, said: ‘We haven’t really been told anything yet. Environmental Health is saying don’t sell anything but we don’t know how long it’s going to be for, we’ve just been told until further notice.
‘It does affect our business, but we are used to it as we’ve had issues with sewage leaks.
‘I am hoping this is going to pass fairly quickly. We have a neap tide at the moment, so the water isn’t moving much. Once we have a spring tide next week that will hopefully clear a lot quicker.
‘We are having to buy shellfish from Jersey for the time being. The clam season is from May to November, when dredging happens. Outside of that season, at this time of year we rely on hand pickers so those guys can’t go out and earn a living at the moment.’
The RSPB have reported some 20 birds around the harbour covered in oil smudges as a result of the spill. Pictured: a shelduck whose white plumage has turned brown from oil smudges
The National Trust has reported oil washing up on the shores of Brownsea Island, an important nature reserve and one of the only few habitats left in the UK for red squirrels. Pictured: Thick tar washed up on the beach in Poole
The National Trust has reported oil washing up on the shores of Brownsea Island, an important nature reserve and one of the only few habitats left in the UK for red squirrels.
The RSPB have reported some 20 birds around the harbour covered in oil smudges as a result of the spill.
Brian Bleese, the chief executive of the Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: ‘We call on Perenco to put in more resources to clean it up, before it has a potentially devastating impact.’
Local environmentalist Pete Scott has taken drone photos of the leak site.
READ MORE: Revealed: French owner of energy firm responsible for Dorset oil leak is a billionaire polo playing racing car driver who owns portfolio of luxury properties including £23m wine chateau outside Bordeaux
He posted on social media: ‘An unmitigated disaster. Most concerning to me is the absence of any clear up work or even workers. Oil still clearly flowing between the useless booms.
‘I just don’t get any sense of urgency from anyone or anywhere.
‘When Perenco released their statement on Sunday that everything was ‘under control’ & the leak was ‘contained’ (or words to that effect), it seems that people believed them.’
He said that the authorities like the Environment Agency should be putting more pressure on Perenco to clean up the leak.
In his latest statement, Jim Stewart, the chief executive of the Poole Harbour Commissioners, which has been leading the multi-agency response to the leak, said about 14,000 litres of oil and water mix and 1,500kg of oil sediment had so far been recovered.
He said: ‘Key stakeholders in the shellfish industry have been advised not to market shellfish harvested from Poole Harbour from Sunday onwards.
‘This advice will remain in place until further assessment has been made and advice has been received from the Food Standards Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) regarding safety.
‘As a precaution, the public are advised that they should still avoid using Poole Harbour for recreational purposes – including the hand gathering of shellfish – and continue to avoid bathing at beaches within Poole Harbour until further updates become available.’
He added that the investigation into the cause of the leak is still ongoing.
Source: Read Full Article
