Shell fishermen on the rivers Exe and Teign are facing a severe threat to their livelihood because of current government water testing regulations that could destroy this vital local industry.
Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross campaigned against these regulations, after the Teign growing beds were closed down for a year in September 1998. He was successful in getting the then fisheries minister, Elliott Morley, to admit that the water quality testing methods could be better and simpler.
On Wednesday, he hoped to light a fire under the decision makers at Defra when he headed a delegation of interested parties to meet the new parliamentary under-secretary of state for nature conservation and fisheries, Ben Bradshaw MP.
'Teign musselmen are concerned that current British regulations are putting them at an unfair disadvantage, compared to their counterparts in France and Holland,' said Mr Younger-Ross.
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'The regulations must be reformed before the government kills off the industry altogether.
'We made our message very clear to the minister and urged him to take action immediately.'
Teign fishermen are hoping Mr Younger-Ross has put a 'bomb' under the minister – and what better time to do it than Bonfire Night.