The Fish Is in the Water and the Water Is in the Fish: Symbiosis in a Nuclear Whale Fall

The nuclear site of Sellafield in West Cumbria, North England, embarks on a long period decommissioning. Limited (SL), the government-owned company running site, is intent disentangling strong socioeconomic and affective relations with its host area view to making Cumbria less dependent SL, area’s major employer, as prepares for slow withdrawal. Comparing whale fall, habitat that comes into being around nourishing presence decomposing carcass, I suggest has feasted through different stages activity, from production plutonium down long-life materiality legacy wastes. From this perspective symbiotic relationship, dependency shown be not one-sided reality but discursive tool wielded by both industry Cumbrians strategic purposes.