Catch Info:

• Method:
  Dredges
• Gear:
  Dredges (unspecified)

View details of SeafoodWatch Catch Methods

Description:

Farmed mussels are higher quality than wild mussels because they are kept below the water even at low tide, allowing them to feed continuously so their meat content is higher. Another benefit is that they are also are kept above the bottom, reducing ingestion of the grit that often accompanies a wild mussel. The beard, the threads that attach the mussel to the rock or rope, should be removed before preparation. Mussels should be alive and tightly closed before being cooked. Open mussels should be discarded, as should any that do not open after they are cooked.

The blue mussel is found throughout the northern Atlantic Ocean. Nearly identical species are found in the Pacific and Mediterranean.

Aquaculture of blue mussels in Canada and the U.S. is very sustainable. The species is native to the area but is cultured in vertical mesh bags suspended in the water column to eliminate interaction with the natural bottom habitat. The seed for aquaculture operations is collected from the wild stock, primarily by providing settling habitat for the free swimming larval stage but also by the collection of juvenile (seed) mussels from their natural habitat. Mussels are filter feeders and do not require any supplemental feed though there is some concern that densely stocked mussel farms could alter food web dynamics. Pollution is minimal and chemicals are not used in mussel culture.

Individual mussels are about 2 1/2 to 3 inches high. The shell should be strong and should be closed.

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