In large parts of the Baltic Sea, mussels do not grow to a marketable size for human consumption because the water’s salinity is lower than in other seas. However, meal made of Baltic Sea mussels could be used by the feed industry in agri- and aquaculture, replacing e.g. imported sh and soybean meal. What is more, cultivating and harvesting blue mussels in the right place can substantially improve the water quality and transparency as mussels lter water and take up nutrients through their food intake. Mussel farming can thus complement source-related measures and make important local contributions to counteracting eutrophication, the Baltic Sea’s primary environmental challenge.
Except some sites in the Western Baltic Sea, mussel farming has so far not gone beyond experimental scale in the Baltic Sea Region. The Baltic Blue Growth project is thus demonstrating that full scale mussel farming in the Baltic Sea is possible and should be further developed.
Our aim is to advance mussel farming in the Baltic Sea from experimental to full scale. More specifically, we want to achieve…
- …the recognition of blue mussels as an efficient way of counteracting eutrophication, complementing legally required source-related measures,
- …acceptance of a compensation scheme for the ecosystem service provided by the mussels,
- …the establishment of mussel farming as an attractive market for entrepreneurs,
- …the production of mussel meal as an ingredient in animal feed.
Six mussel sites are planned along with one owned by ERAC and located in St. Anna Archipelago. Read more about our farm site here…