THE county's famous Native oyster faces a 'do or die situation' if the Government does not turn the estuaries of Essex into conservation zones, wildlife experts have claimed.
The Essex Wildlife Trust went to Parliament last week to lobby the Government to protect the Blackwater, Crouch, Roach and Colne estuaries under legislation that allows areas to be declared nature reserves of the sea.
Sarah Allison, from the Essex Wildlife Trust, said: "If we don't succeed in getting a conservation zone declared then we have a very rare species left really vulnerable. We shouldn't forget that so much of our tourism in Essex is based on this marine ethos. The loss of the oyster could have a real economic impact."
The Essex Wildlife Trust and Blackwater Oystermen's Association called for a temporary ban on commercial fishing in August last year, after their survey using sonar technology found the Native oyster was heading for a "population crash".
The Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority then banned the removal or disturbance of Native oysters in the River Blackwater, Crouch, Colne and the Roach estuaries, and out to sea from Clacton across to Foulness Point, using its Shellfish Beds Bylaw.
The ban is still in place while the numbers of Native oysters are given a chance to increase, although the cheaper Rock oyster is still on the menu.
Fishermen dredge these oysters and fatten them on their own oyster beds, which are rich with nutrients from the marshes.
"Essex is one of only two places in the UK where the Native Oyster can be found in any number, the other being Cornwall," said Sarah Allison.
Last week's visit to Parliament brought The Wildlife Trusts' 'Petition Fish' campaign, which secured almost 250,000 signatures in support of marine protection, 14,000 of which were collected in Essex, to a close.
The campaign aims to secure an 'ecologically coherent' network of Marine Protected Areas around the UK to allow our seas to recover from past damage and sustain current pressures.
Maldon MP John Whittingdale, who joined the campaign at Parliament, said: "I was delighted to join The Wildlife Trusts to show my support for the recommended Marine Conservation Zone network and to press the Government to include the Blackwater MCZ as one of the first designated zones.
"The estuary is of huge importance environmentally and it will benefit greatly from the protection that designation will bring."
The public consultation on the proposals will continue until March 31.
People can respond at www.wildlifetrusts.org/haveyoursay.
