Chilean mussel

Mytilus chilensis

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Location

All areas

Production method

Culture, bottom, Culture, suspension

Certification

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Rating summary

Farmed mussels do not require any commercial feed sources as they get all of their nutrient requirements from the surrounding water. They feed by filtering mainly microscopic algae from the surrounding sea water. Overall, Chilean mussel aquaculture performs well on environmental impacts, as they require no chemical inputs, disease risk is low and naturally settling spat are used for on-growing. There are no welfare requirements for shellfish species. Regulation of mussel farming in Chile is comprehensive, and appears to be fully effective in minimising negative impacts.Rating last updated March 2023.

Technical consultation summary

References

ASC. 2023. Find a product “Chilean mussel”. Available at: https://www.asc-aqua.org/what-you-can-do/take-action/find-a-product/ [Accessed on 01.03.2023].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].David & Lucile Packard Foundation. 2022. Chile Marine Strategy (2022 Update) 2022-2023. Available at: https://www.packard.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Chile-Marine-Updated-Strategy-2022.pdf [Accessed on 03.03.2023].FAO. 2023. National Aquaculture Legislation Overview Chile. Text by D'Andrea, A.. Fisheries and Aquaculture Division [online]. Rome. Available at: https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/legalframework/cl/en?lang=en [Accessed on 03.03.2023].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].Gonzalez-Poblete, E, Hurtado F. C., Rojo S. C., Norambuena C. R., 2018. Blue mussel aquaculture in Chile: Small or large scale industry?, Aquaculture, Volume 493, Pages 113-122. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.04.026 [Accessed on 28.02.2023].MSC. 2018. CHILEAN MUSSEL FISHERY AND SUSPENDED CULTURE TORALLA S.A. AND CULTIVOS TORALLA, S.A., REGION X, CHILE. Available at: https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/chilean-mussel-fishery-and-suspended-culture-toralla-s.a-and-cultivos-toralla-s.a/@@assessment-documentsets?assessment_step=Surveillance+Audit&documentset_name=Surveillance+report&assessment_id=FA-01817&phase_name=Ongoing+surveillance&start_date=2018-01-30 [Accessed on 03.03.2023].MSC. 2019. Announcement of Certificate Withdrawl. Available at: https://cert.msc.org/FileLoader/FileLinkDownload.asmx/GetFile?encryptedKey=Q20gNthGEA6g9U+cUy8OG0WRa/xO9BhQrN26EWQumHlKThj2po8pLU6xpcl38Ut2 [Accessed on 03.03.2023].OECD. 2011. “Chile going green”, in Maintaining Momentum: OECD Perspectives on Policy Challenges in Chile, OECD Publishing, Paris. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/chile/maintainingmomentumoecdperspectivesonpolicychallengesinchile.htm [Accessed on 03.03.2023].Price, C.S., Keane, E., Morin, D., Vaccaro, C., Bean, D., & Morris, Jr., J.A. (2017). Protected Species & Longline Mussel Aquaculture Interactions. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 211. 85 pp. Available at: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/16942 [Accessed on 02.03.2023].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].Seafood Watch. Monterey Bay Aquarium. 2021. Atlantic & Coho Salmon in Chile. Available at: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendation/salmon/atlantic-salmon-38205?species=302 [Accessed on 01.03.2023].Seafood Watch. 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].SUBPESCA. 2023. Regulated Activities. Aquaculture. Available at: https://www.subpesca.cl/portal/616/w3-article-86161.html [Accessed on 07.03.2023].