Greencastle, Ireland―For many on the oyster-rich shores of the River Foyle estuary on the northern tip of Ireland, Britain’s departure from the European Union cannot come soon enough. The hope is that Brexit will solve a decades-old sovereignty dispute over the waterway between British-ruled Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The stand-off has led to a boom in the unauthorized cultivation of oysters on Lough Foyle, which licensed Irish oyster farmers say threatens their lucrative export industry. Whether by accident or willful neglect, the British government and the newly-created Irish Free State left the ownership of Lough Foyle out of the terms of the negotiated settlement.

Dalby, D. (2017, May 02). Britain’s exit offers hope for Irish oyster farmers. Manila Standard, p B4.