§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether current steps taken to control pollution are adequate for long-term protection of the local shellfish industry in the Fal estuary, Cornwall;
(2) what action he is taking to monitor pollution levels of shellfish in the Fal estuary, Cornwall.
§ Mr. CurryShort-term measures to minimise the problems caused by the sudden discharge from the Wheal Jane mine on 13 January are in place. The National Rivers Authority is working with mine owners to find an effective long-term solution. This will be welcome to the local shellfish industry.
When the potential problems with the Wheal Jane mine became apparent last year, we established a monitoring programme involving testing samples of shellfish from the Fal Estuary for levels of metal contaminants. Results from samples tested since the discharge on 13 January show that, with the exception of a possible slight increase in zinc levels, the incident has not resulted in an increase in metal contaminants in shellfish. The levels continue to be below those that would give cause for concern on public health grounds. Our monitoring programme will continue.