Conwy was once one of the most important pearl fisheries in the country. In the early 19th Century over 4 kilos of pearls from Conwy mussels were sent each week to jewellers in London, but by the 20th century, the mussels were fished only for food. In 1913, the mussel purification station was set up by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) at a site in Benarth Road, Conwy. The aim was to improve the quality of Conwy mussels, because they had been linked to a number of serious infections. From 1918 onwards, the Board (later Ministry) of Agriculture and Fisheries became responsible for the tanks. Dr R. Dodgson, its Director, researched the purification and culture of oysters and mussels between 1920 and 1930; these records are scientifically important on an international scale. The Centre also collected photographs, which show the traditional activities of the fishermen. Research continued until the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Conwy, closed in 1999, and its work was transferred to CEFAS's centres at Lowestoft (Norfolk) and Weymouth (Dorset).

Reference: Catalogue of the records of CEFAS (administrative history), Conwy Archive Service: GB 2008 CD/3 and CP48.

RCAHMW, 2011.