Biodiversity & Conservation

LR.H is not thought to hold any significant importance for other species although the mussels that may be found in the biotope may be part of large mussel beds (SLR.MytX) which are highly productive, and offer refuge and food for a large variety of organisms. Seed & Suchanek (1992) suggested that in populations of older mussels, productivity may be in the region of 2000-14,500 kJ/m/yr. The Mytilus edulis beds probably also provide secondary productivity in the form of tissue, faeces and pseudofaeces (Seed & Suchanek, 1992; Holt et al., 1998). Larval production represents a significant contribution to the zooplankton, forming an important food source for herring larvae and carnivorous zooplankton (Seed & Suchanek, 1992). Dense beds of bivalve suspension feeders increase turnover of nutrients and organic carbon in estuarine (and presumably coastal) environments by effectively transferring pelagic phytoplanktonic primary production to secondary production (pelagic-benthic coupling) (Dame, 1996).

Mussels have been harvested for food and bait since early times. British mussel production is relatively small, comprising only 5% of total Europe Community production (Edwards, 1997). Wild mussel fisheries are found in tidal flats of The Wash, Morecambe Bay, Solway and Dornoch Firths in Scotland and river estuaries such as Conwy, North Wales and the Teign and Taw, Devon (Edwards, 1997). Edwards (1997) notes that the commercial development of natural beds is hampered by sporadic and unpredictable recruitment. Extraction of Mytilus edulis from LR.H will most likely be by hand on a small scale.

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