Truro and Falmouth MP Jayne Kirkham has been elected an officer of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Shellfish Aquaculture.

Aquaculture (farming in water) shows the greatest growth potential of all food production sectors, but receives little attention in UK government policy and no effective support for the sector to grow.

The UK has some of the world’s most productive waters for shellfish aquaculture, but has struggled to match the growth of other European countries due to factors including Brexit, poor water quality and an increasing population.

Inadequate water treatment infrastructure coupled with governmental failure to hold water companies to account mean storm overflow events are more frequent, with severe negative consequences. In May 2023, 11 shellfish sites in Cornwall were forced to close due to dangerously high E-coli levels.

The APPG will address numerous legislative challenges in a bid to help the industry thrive. For example, aquaculture is still tied to UK fisheries policy, despite differing substantially from wild capture fisheries.

"To be nominated to be part of a new APPG helping to promote and propagate this country's exciting aquaculture industry is an honour,” said Ms Kirkham.

“Fishing and aquaculture have been integral to Cornwall's survival for centuries. We need to protect our fishing and shellfish industries, which are vital for food security, for tourism, for jobs.

“Oysters in the Fal have been farmed for half a millennium using traditional methods, making them one of a kind in Europe and a vital heritage industry we must protect.

“But shellfish aquaculture has had a rough time. Sewage dumping is destroying the shellfish industry, and it was an afterthought in Brexit negotiations, which introduced extra red tape and led to a massive loss of market.

“In 2021, I took a motion to Cornwall Council to help the industry and I will continue that fight for the industry on the shellfish aquaculture APPG."