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Letter: Tyre townships

Published 30 May 1998

From George Sassoon

Tam Dalyell writes of the difficulty of dealing with used tyres, and also of
the loss of lobster habitat in northern seas because of the destruction of reefs
(Forum, 9 May, p 55).

The solution to both problems is simple: create artificial reefs made of old
tyres. These are an ideal habitat for lobsters, whose populations are limited by
the availability of suitable crannies in which to hide. Tyres can be dumped onto
seamounts off the shipping lanes, buoyed and marked on charts, and will in due
course become veritable lobster cities (as many wrecks are) to be exploited by
local small-boat fishermen.

Lochbuie, Isle of Mull

Issue no. 2136 published 30 May 1998

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