An Assessment of the Potential for the Sustainable Development of the Edible Periwinkle, Littorina littorea, Industry in Ireland

Abstract

The edible periwinkle Littorina littorea (L.) has been exploited as a food source in Ireland since the stone age (Woodman, Anderson and Finlay, 1999). Today there is a large market for the edible periwinkle on the continent, principally in France. Pearson (1994) estimated that the Irish periwinkle industry was worth approximately €6.34 million (£5 million) in exports per annum. The edible periwinkle industry remains a fishery of economic and sociological importance in peripheral coastal communities. It is particularly important as an additional source of income in areas where few other employment opportunities exist. According to the Department of Marine and Natural Resources (DoMNR), 2,635 tonnes of periwinkles were exported in 1998. However, this is considered by some to be a gross underestimate of the size of the industry. Unofficial figures provided by a wholesaler at the 1997 Shellfish Association AGM, suggested that, at the time, closer to 7,000 tonnes were exported per annum. The difficulty in assessing the true scale of the Irish periwinkle industry lies in its black market nature. In addition, periwinkles are a “non-pressure stock” species which means that the fishery is completely unregulated. Indeed, many wholesalers claim that over-harvesting of the resource is jeopardising the recruitment of periwinkles on our shores. Prior to this study, there was little or no scientific information available on the state of Irish periwinkle stocks, nor was there an accurate estimate of the scale and value of the Irish industry. This project aimed to redress this situation.