Offshore production of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

The global growth of the aquaculture sector in the last 4 decades has been unprecedented, having surpassed the fishing sector as the main supplier of seafood in the 21st century and showing no signs of slowing down. Due to the conflict with other stakeholders for coastal locations and the higher water quality one of the avenues where this sector can further expand is to move offshore. The global mussel market is dominated by the China and Chile and although European mussel production has declined in recent years there is still a high demand for the product as demonstrated by the imports from Chile. This European demand coupled with almost unlimited space available for offshore aquaculture could allow the industry to compete with the importers. Especially when considering the high monetary and environmental cost associated with international shipping. Mussel farming using longlines is a method which was pioneered in New Zealand and has been used for decades in Europe, however usually in sheltered bodies of water, such as lochs. The application of this technology to offshore conditions is an emerging segment of the aquaculture industry and one company, Offshore Shellfish, is leading the way in the UK, by building an operation in Lyme bay 3 km offshore in the English Channel. This internship report details the state of global mussel market and the day to day operations of the first offshore mussel farm in the UK.