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Mussels are present in the Estuary but are not gathered to anything like the
same extent as cockles.
Mussels when cooked are so soft that their transport over long distances would
be quite difficult. This, added to the operation of the Shellfish Regulations which
does not permit the sale of local mussels unless cooked in an apparatus approved by
the Port Health Authority, has the effect of limiting the mussel "business to a
strictly local market. Samples are taken periodically for bacteriological examination.
The Oyster trade in the River Roach and its contributary creeks is again making
headway after a long period of stagnation The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
have established an Experimental Station at Burnham on Crouch to study the problems
involved.
There is no restriction upon the area in which the oyster beds are situated,
sampling of the water having revealed nothing -which would constitute a danger to the
public health.
One firm operating in the area has specialised in the import of Portuguese
oysters for re-laying and fattening. Portuguese oysters are a completely different
variety from the Native oysters. They are especially suitable for the summer trade
for which Southend provides a valuable market, as they do not "go sick", that is they
do not start to breed until the water temperature is at least 69°F, It is because
Native oysters "go sick" in simmer that it has become accepted that oysters are only
in season -when there is an "R" in the month.

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