BBC News | WALES | Museum adds mussel to old industry

What is thought to be the first seafood museum in Britain has opened in north Wales.

Fishermen in Conwy are using part of the processing plant on the town's quay to display old photographs and equipment which has been used by generations of mussel men.

Mussels have been gathered in the Conwy estuary since Roman times.

In its heyday, just ater the Second World War, there were 60 people working in the mussel industry around Conwy.

Since then, numbers have declined and today there are only 15 people who make a living by gathering the mussel shells from the beds of the Conwy river.

The fishermen still use the technique developed by monks who lived in Conwy during the middle ages - a long-handled rake.

Photo of Conwy mussels
Mussels are a popular local delicacy

The Conwy mussels are a popular delicacy. But the season for gathering them only lasts during the winter months.

The fishermen hope that by opening their museum to summer visitors they will be able to supplement their income.

This latest development is another step on the road to recovery for the Conwy mussel industry.

During the 1980s, construction of the Conwy tunnel led to the loss of many traditional mussel beds.

Since then, the mussel beds have been reinstated and a modern processing plant installed on the quay.

It is hoped the new museum will play its part in ensuring one of Conwy's most traditional life-styles survives into the new century.


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