Rare giant mollusc found in Salcombe Estuary

14/06/2007 00:00:00 The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has received a report from Devon of one of the UK’s rarest and most threatened marine creatures, the fanshell (Atrina fragilis). This giant, but elusive mollusc - like an enormous mussel but growing to more than a foot long - is one of just fifteen live specimens known to MCS around the entire United Kingdom. The fanshell was found on the 21st March, in a seagrass bed in the Salcombe-Kingsbridge estuary in Devon by University of Plymouth staff and students, and local naturalists. The find in Salcombe is highly unusual as the animal was found in seabed exposed by an extreme low tide, whereas fanshells normally dwell in deeper waters. This is the first UK report in fifty years of an inter-tidal specimen. MCS urges coastal walkers, as well as fishermen and divers, to keep their eyes open and report any fanshells that they find.

The fanshell is believed to have once been abundant in UK coastal waters, but its numbers have declined rapidly since the advent of industrial trawl fishing. It is now so rare that it is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act from being intentionally or recklessly killed.

South Hams Marine Conservation Officer, Nigel Mortimer (who was amongst those who found the shell) said: ‘We are delighted to have found this wonderful rare bivalve, which grows to an amazing 48cm long. With eight specimens recorded in Plymouth Sound, and one from the Helford in Cornwall – this is the only other live individual we know of along the entire UK south coast.

Jean-Luc Solandt, Biodiversity Policy Officer for the Marine Conservation Society says ‘It is critical that we preserve rare species such as the fanshell and the vital seagrass habitat in which this specimen lives, as seagrass beds act as egg laying and nursery grounds for commercially important fish and host a large number of other species, including British seahorses. We hope that the pending Marine Bill currently being considered by government will allow sites such as the Salcombe Harbour seagrass bed to be designated as a Highly Protected Marine Reserve to allow fish and rare creatures such as the giant fanshell to thrive.’

Courtesy of the Marine Conservation Society.