Oyster dredging: the annual Cornish count hoping to preserve the species for years to come

Oysters have been dredged on Cornwall's River Fal for more than 400 years.

The methods have barely changed in that time and the oysters can only be caught under sail or by rowing.

• Don't be shellfish: Oyster lovers meet at festival

• Oysters and mussels reintroduced at Porlock today

Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority manage the fishery and every January they survey the native oyster population.

The season is restricted to six months between October and March to help protect numbers.

Team members measure and weigh their catch before returning the scallops and oysters back to the areas they were dredged from.

All of this is done to ensure the unique fishery can be protected well into the future.

Take a look: