ONE of Scotland’s biggest seafood suppliers has stopped harvesting mussels early due to the heatwave.

Loch Fyne Oysters is among a number of firms which took the decision, with fishing normally ceasing by mid-June. Rising water temperatures encourage the mussels to spawn, and they are best eaten outside of this period.

Managing director Cameron Brown said: “This sunshine has been lovely but the heat has made our mussels think it’s summer already and start spawning.

“That means they need to be left alone to recover condition over the summer months. We also avoid summer harvesting because of the risk of toxic algae due to elevated phytoplankton levels in the loch.”

The hottest day of the year was recorded yesterday at Achnagart in the Highlands where the temperature reached 27.2C (81F).