Fowey Sea Farms has been awarded an Objective 1 Fisheries grant to establish a mussel farm on the river Fal.

The grant will enable the company to grow mussels on ropes at the Turnaware site , eventually producing 50 tonnes of mussels a year by 2006. The project will create one full-time job and secure four full-time jobs.

Fowey Sea Farms has been operating for three years and has two partner businesses; Fowey River Oysters and Westcountry Mussels. The company also sells to local markets in Cornwall and is well known for high quality shellfish.

The project will enable the company to meet current demand as well as build new markets. The new site will enable the company to produce and supply larger mussels, as the larger space will provide more room for the mussels to grow for longer. The site, recently made available by Carrick District Council, is one of the main inshore sites suitable for mussels cultivation in Cornwall.

Alison Elvey Objective 1 Fisheries Programme Manager stated "It is excellent that the local aquaculture sector is growing. I welcome Carrick District Councils decision to make the sites available and it is exciting that a local company will be expanding to supply Cornish markets with high quality mussels".

The partners of Fowey Sea Farms, Mr Rawle and Mr Hancock commented "We are grateful to Carrick District Council and Andy Brigden for releasing the site for mussel cultivation, enabling Fowey Sea Farms to broaden our markets and to create new markets in Cornwall. A thank you also to the Objective 1 Fisheries team in Truro for securing the grant for us. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish our two competitors well, but we are, however, disappointed to see that we are the only Cornish company to have taken advantage of the sites and Objective One funding".

Andy Brigden, Head of Maritime Services at Carrick District Council commented "I am very pleased that Carrick can assist businesses by releasing the site, therefore ensuring the economic development of local maritime businesses in Cornwall".