Former fisherman Neil Matheson is looking for a helping hand from nature as he bids to mussel in on a new seafood venture for Orkney.

With support from Orkney Enterprise, Mr Matheson has created a shellfish rearing operation near Stromness.  The aim is to develop the islands' first commercial mussel farm to help feed a growing demand for the seafood delicacy.

However, first he needs mussels growing in the natural environment to provide the shellfish "stock" he plans to harvest in 18 months' time.

After spawning, tiny larvae called spat look for a suitable place to settle and grow and Mr Matheson has provided dozens of pegged ropes designed to act as the perfect environment for the fledgling mussels.

Developing the mussel farm in the waters of Scapa Flow off Clestrain has cost £35,000, the venture attracting a £10,500 funding package from the Kirkwall-based development agency.

Michael Reid, Orkney Enterprise's senior development manager said: "The project will add to the range of quality food products being exported from Orkney.  Mussel farming is proving to be successful in Shetland and along the West Coast of Scotland.

"Neil Matheson did a lot of research in those areas and is confident that this is a venture with the potential to expand and create employment."

If all goes to plan, the spat will settle on the ropes in the coming months and grow over the next year-and-a-half to become 90 tonnes of harvestable mussels.

"It's an entirely natural process," said Neil. "There is no need to feed the mussels, we are simply providing a growing medium for them.

"The aim eventually is to harvest 200 tonnes each year by increasing the number of ropes we have in the water.  That would mean a number of jobs being created."

Currently, there are four head ropes, each 220 metres long and buoyed at regular intervals so they float on the surface of the water.

From these hang pegged ropes called droppers on which the mussels grow.  The plastic pegs are nine inches apart and each has been fitted to the ropes by hand.

Neil explained: "There are 56,000 of them and they are designed to stop the mussels sliding down the ropes.  Fitting them has been quite a task - we have had to call on a lot of favours from friends and family.

"Next year we will be putting out eight more head lines, with eight more the following year.  The idea is to build a continuity of supply but it means a lot more pegs to be fitted."

The ropes themselves were once used by creel fishermen and have been recycled, as have the railway carriage wheels ingeniously used as anchors for the head lines.

Neil said: "There is a robust and growing market for farmed mussels.  They are seen as a tasty, healthy product.  Locally, we think there is lots of potential from the tourism market and we will also be exporting them as a high quality product of the islands.

"Our company is called Orkney Mussels Ltd - we think the Orkney name is a vital ingredient in making this venture a success for us."