Mussels dilemma for minister

Mike McKimm
BBC Northern Ireland environment correspondent

A humble unseen mussel that lurks on the seabed of an important Northern Irish sea lough is at the centre of an environmental row.

The horse mussel is protected as part of the habitat in the scientifically sensitive Strangford Lough.

The lough itself has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation.

Horse mussels deep on the bed of Strangford Lough

But local fishermen who trawl the bottom for prawns and shellfish have been accused of causing so much damage to the mussel beds that two-thirds are now thought to be dead.

Although the fishermen deny the claim, it's thought that an imminent government-sponsored report will lay the blame at their feet.

The mussels live on the muddy sea bed of the lough and provide a critical habitat for lots of other marine life, giving Strangford its unique habitat.

Despite calls to have the fishing banned, the season opened as usual at the end of last month.

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland say that the season should have also been closed on the same day to protect the mussels.

The environment group called on Agriculture Minister Ian Pearson, who controls the fishing season, to ban the boats.

They accused the Department of "acting illegally and leaving the United Kingdom exposed to certain legal action by the European Commission followed by substantial fines".

John Woods, director of Friends of the Earth in Northern Ireland, told Mr Pearson to stop the fishing immediately.

Friends of the Earth's John Woods called for immediate ban

"There must be no consultation period prior to such action - such consultation can take place once a moratorium on trawling is in place. We expect you to close the fishery today," he said.

But the Department are still considering what to do.

Another environment group has already written to the European Commission with a similar complaint.

The matter has been further complicated by the fact that some of the fishermen who trawl the bottom are licensed to do so.

To ban all bottom fishing could be legally complicated.

It's a dilemma for the Department, who now seem keen to protect the lough but aren't quite sure how to do it.

Northern Ireland has no independent environment agency, unlike the rest of the UK.

Instead, it is left to government agencies to police themselves, protected by Crown Immunity.

They can only be penalised by the European Commission - who will simply make the taxpayer pay up if the departments are found to be at fault.