€9 million worth of Oysters found dead in Waterford – no one can figure out why

When a cattle herd is found to be infected with TB, the government compensate farmers for having to cull the herd. No such support exists for when pollution kills fisher’s stock.

Clíona Mhic Giolla Chuda Sales, Marketing and General Manager of Waterford Oysters based in An Rinn in Dungarvan,  told the government committee on Fisheries and Maritime affairs that her company has lost more than €9 million worth of stock over the past two summers, when over 70% of oysters on their farm were found dead.

Operating since 1990, Waterford Oysters is a vital part of the West Waterford economy, employing many staff and trading with important markets such as China.

Despite extensive testing carried out by BIM (Bord Iascaigh Mhara) and Waterford City and County Council, it is still not clear why these oysters perished and whether it will happen again this year.

In 2019, 60% of the fully grown stock died and Mhic Giolla Chuda pointed out that, “Other bays in the county and in the country were not at all affected.” Although the definitive cause has not been identified, Mhic Giolla Chuda strongly suspects it is linked to pollution. 

She said: “Oyster in a bay are a species that are very sensitive to pollution and in a sense they act as the canary in the coalmine with regards to the health of the ecosystem and the environment in the bay.

She continued: “Our product depends on clean waters and a sound ecosystem in order for them to thrive.”

Ms Mhic Giolla Chuda also explained the importance of oysters to the health of bodies of water. 

She said: “Oysters a product with a very low carbon footprint and in fact oysters are deployed in bays around the world in order to help clean up polluted waters This summer, “a comprehensive suite of testing” will be carried out this summer to try and solve the mystery.

Ms Mhich Giolla Chuda said they are engaging with the public and are asking them to report anything unusual in the water.

They’ve also asked local fisherman to be on the look out for algal blooms or “anything noteworthy.” She concluded: “All eyes will be on Dungarvan bay for the next ten weeks or so to see if we have a repeat of the losses again this year. Please God we won’t.” Chair of the committee and TD for West Waterford, Conor McGuinness said that the crisis was “existential.”

 “If what has happened over the last two years happens again, that will mark the end of the industry. It will be very, very difficult to claw back operations and to continue trading."

He said that the multiplier effect on the local economy would be “deeply regrettable.” 

He concluded: “Touch wood it doesn’t happen this year and we’ll all breathe a sigh of relief, but we’ll still be left wondering what caused it and will it happen next year. It's tough to invest in a business when you’re dealing with that uncertainty.”