Blue mussel

Mytilus edulis

?: Under review How we work out the ratings

What to check for

Location

All areas

Production method

Culture, suspension

Certification

Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

Rating summary

Mussels farmed in the UK and Ireland in suspended rope culture have little environmental impact and do not require any commercial feed sources as they get all of their nutrient requirements from the surrounding water. Mussel aquaculture is entirely sea-based and habitat concerns are minimal. Recent mussel culture generally does not involve the use of chemicals and there is no concern about the impact of effluents. Spat used for farming settle naturally and research into development of a hatchery is ongoing. Disease risk and parasite interactions are thought to be minimal and do not threaten regional level populations. Both independently certified (ASC and MSC) and uncertified mussels are available.Rating last updated March 2023.

Technical consultation summary

Mussels farmed in the UK and Ireland in suspended rope culture have little environmental impact and do not require any commercial feed sources as they get all of their nutrient requirements from the surrounding water. Mussel aquaculture is entirely sea-based and habitat concerns are minimal. Recent mussel culture generally does not involve the use of chemicals and there is no concern about the impact of effluents. Spat used for suspension farming settle naturally and research into development of a hatchery is ongoing. Disease risk and parasite interactions are thought to be minimal and do not threaten regional level populations. Both independently certified (ASC and MSC) and uncertified mussels are available.

References

CEFAS. 2014. CEFAS Report: Background information for sustainable aquaculture development, addressing environmental protection in particular. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/water/pdf/SUSAQ%20Final%20Report%20Part%201.pdf [Accessed on 01.03.2023].DAERA. 2022. Marine Plan for Northern Ireland. Available at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/marine-plan-northern-ireland [Accessed on 01.03.2023].EU. 2007. Council Regulation (EC) No 708/2007 of 11 June 2007 concerning use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture. Official Journal of the European Union. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:168:0001:0017:EN:PDF [Accessed on 01.03.2023].EU. 2014. Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eia/pdf/EIA_Directive_informal.pdf [Accessed on 01.03.2023].EU. 2018. Guidance on Aquaculture and Natura 2000 Sustainable aquaculture activities in the context of the Natura 2000 Network. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/management/pdf/guidance_on_aquaculture_and_natura_2000_en.pdf [Accessed on 01.03.2023].FAO. 2023. Mytilus edulis. Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme. Text by Goulletquer, P.. Fisheries and Aquaculture Division [online]. Rome. Available at https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/culturedspecies/mytilus_edulis/en [Accessed on 28.02.2023].FAO. 2023b. United Kingdom. National Aquaculture Legislation Overview. Text by Spreij, M.. Fisheries and Aquaculture Division [online]. Rome. Available at https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/legalframework/gb/en?lang=en [Accessed on 01.03.2023].FAO. 2023c. Ireland. National Aquaculture Legislation Overview. Text by Spreij, M.. Fisheries and Aquaculture Division [online]. Rome. Available at https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/legalframework/ie/en?lang=en [Accessed on 01.03.2023].Irish Government. 2022. National Marine Planning Framework. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a4a9a-national-marine-planning-framework/ [Accessed on 01.03.2023].Irish Government. 2015. Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA Statement. National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development Ireland. Available at: https://assets.gov.ie/99300/3e4e1a45-a763-4376-8524-6faf9362f0f8.pdf [Accessed on 01.03.2023].MMO. 2020. UK sea fisheries annual statistics report 2020 - GOV.UK. UK fleet landings by rectangle stock and estimated EEZ 2016 2020. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-sea-fisheries-annual-statistics-report-2020 [Accessed on 18.11.21].Scottish government. 2015. Scotland's National Marine Plan. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-national-marine-plan/ [Accessed on 01.03.2023].Scottish government. 2020. Fish farm environmental impacts. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/fish-farm-environmental-impacts/ [Accessed on 01.03.2023].Seafish. 2008. Aquaculture Hyperbooks Suspended Mussel Technical Pages. Available at: https://www.seafish.org/document/?id=b2f67171-a2d7-4e27-b081-dd55db2df709 [Accessed on 01.03.2023]Seafish. 2020. Mussels, Various species. Available at: https://www.seafish.org/responsible-sourcing/aquaculture-farming-seafood/species-farmed-in-aquaculture/aquaculture-profiles/mussels/ [Accessed on 01.03.2023].Seafish. 2022. Seafood trade & tariff data. Available at: https://www.seafish.org/trade-and-regulation/trade-and-regulation-advice-and-resources/seafood-trade-tariff-data/ [Accessed on 05.05.2022].Seafood Water. 2020. Marine Mussels Mytilus spp, Perna sp. Worldwide On and Off Bottom Culture. Available at: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendation/mussels/mussels-29905?species=3454 [Accessed on 01.03.2023].UK Government. 2021. Marine planning in England. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/marine-planning-in-england [Accessed on 01.03.2023].UK Government. 2023. EU legislation and UK law. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eu-legislation-and-uk-law [Accessed on 01.03.2023].Welsh Government. 2019. Welsh National Marine Plan. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/welsh-national-marine-plan [Accessed on 01.03.2023].