Blue Mussels

Common Name:

Blue Mussels

Scientific Name:

Mytilus edulis

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Sourcing Summary

2-3 in.

Blue mussels are the most widely consumed mussel in North America. Mussels are sold live and frozen as whole cooked, meats, and cooked on the half shell. Buyers should adopt a seasonal strategy because meat content decreases dramatically after mussels spawn: blue mussels are at their peak in winter and early spring while Mediterranean mussels are better in the spring, summer, and fall. Generally, rope-grown mussels have thin, clean shells and high meat content.  Some producers hold mussels in tanks of water that are treated with ultraviolet light which destroys harmful bacteria, a process known as "depuration."

Harvest Methods

Wild

Rake
Dredge

Farmed

Off-Bottom Culture
Cultured On-bottom, dredge-harvest
Cultured On-bottom, dredge-harvest
Rope Grown
Rope Grown
Open/Uncontained

Product Forms

Fresh

  • Live

Frozen

  • Cooked
  • Meat
Fresh Seasonal Availability
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Culinary Composition

Flavor

Mild
Sweet
Strong

Texture

Delicate
Medium
Firm

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition facts

Serving size: 100 Grams
Amount per serving
  • Calories
    172.00
  • Total Fat
    4.48
    g
  • Cholesterol
    56.00
    mg
  • Sodium
    369.00
    mg
  • Carbohydrates
    7.40
    g
  • Protein
    23.80
  • Omega-3
    1.00
    g

Cooking Methods

Advisory Concern

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
Biology

Blue mussels are usually a mix of colors, ranging from purple, blue, black, and brown, with occasional dark brown to purple radial markings. Their shell interiors are pearl-white with a wide border of purple or dark blue. They can reach lengths of 2-4.5 in (6-11 cm) and live an average of 12 years but can live up to 24.

Blue mussels are ecologically important in coastal ecosystems and are considered to be “ecosystem engineers,” as the dense beds provide shoreline protection and important habitat and shelter for a number of species. Blue mussel abundance has been positively correlated with overall species richness. They are semi-mobile suspension feeders, feeding on phytoplankton like green algae, dinoflagellates, and diatoms. As filter feeders, they help remove pollutants from the water. Blue mussels are also an important food source for other species, like sea stars, sea urchins, crabs, lobsters, whelks, fish, and birds. 

General onset and length of the spawning season can vary temporally and spatially depending on latitude and is also directly driven by food availability and temperature. In the US, blue mussels spawn in the spring and summer. Blue mussels have high fecundity, producing between 50 and 200 million eggs per spawn. They grow quickly and have a mobile free-swimming larval phase that contribute to the development of mussel culture. The larvae resemble a miniature clam. Blue mussels first mature as males and later develop female reproductive capabilities. As a planktonic juvenile, they are vulnerable to predation from jellyfish and larval and adult fish.

Species Habitat

Wild blue mussels are widely distributed globally, from the Arctic to the North Pacific and to the North Atlantic. In North America, they can be found from Labrador, Canada down to North Carolina, with the population centered in Maine. In Europe, they range from the White Sea, Russia to as far south as the Atlantic coast of Southern France.

Blue mussels generally inhabit brackish intertidal areas in sheltered areas, forming dense aggregations on hard surfaces. They attach to surfaces and each other with strong byssal threads. In other areas, they can also be found within silty or sandy substrate and eelgrass beds, on top of eelgrass beds, and in mixed sediments with gravel. They can be found in depths ranging from 0 ft to 196 ft (0 m to 60 m) and in subtropical areas with a preferred water temperature of 48°F (9°C). In general, they can withstand large fluctuations in salinity, desiccation, temperature, and oxygen levels, and thus can be found in a broad range of habitats. However, their distribution is controlled by biological factors such as predation and food competition. Where predators are lacking, blue mussel beds can reach up to 4 ft (1.2 m) thick and individual mussels can grow large in a relatively short amount of time.

Science & Management:
  • Farmed
    Science: 

    Blue mussels are harvested both wild and farmed. There is only limited monitoring of US populations and abundance, and fishing mortality levels are unknown. There are no current efforts in place by state management bodies to monitor blue mussel populations. Reliable catch data are not available for Massachusetts or Rhode Island. However, fishing effort in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island is low, so abundance is assumed to be high.

    In the Gulf of Maine, a number of independent studies have studied blue mussel abundance. One study compared current abundance levels to historical estimates and found that blue mussels have declined an average of over 60% over the past 40 years. Maine fishery managers also report declines statewide between 2012-2017. Reasons for the decline is unknown, but are possibly due to warming water temperatures, green crab predation, overfishing, and increasing ocean acidification. The Maine Department of Marine Resources is currently working on a survey in the Jordan River in Frenchman’s Bay to sample the population with drones. This could potentially be used to conduct stock assessments in the future; however, this work is still in the preliminary stages.

    Massachusetts currently has efforts underway to summarize the population status. The Center for Coastal Studies recently completed shellfish surveys in Pleasant Bay to establish a baseline of abundance.

    New York has made little to no effort to track population trends because of their assumed healthy distribution and low fishing effort. Despite this limited scientific monitoring, commercial catches are monitored, and some management exists.

    There is low demand in Rhode Island to evaluate the blue mussel population because fishing effort is very low. The only reliable catch information is in value and not quantity. There is spatial management in place to conserve the wild population. Recent efforts have been directed towards the growing aquaculture industry, evaluating shellfish disease and growing methods.

    Management: 

    There are wild US fisheries in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island for blue mussels. Maine accounts for the majority of catch in the US. Blue mussels are caught in the winter before the spawning season, when their meat is considered to have the best market value. Commercial catch levels have historically fluctuated but is currently at low levels relative to other shellfish species. In Maine between 2000-2015, annual landings averaged 17 million pounds. The highest landings recorded were in 1995 at 37 million pounds. Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island have comparatively smaller-scale fisheries. They are harvested with hand rakes but 95% of the time are harvested with boat dredges.

    Wild blue mussels are managed at the individual state-level by the Maine Department of Marine Resources (MDMR), Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries (MADMF), New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM).

    In Maine, licenses are required to commercially fish for blue mussels, and landings cannot be combined with other shellfish. Fishers must tag them with the following information:

    • Fisher’s name
    • License number
    • Date and time of catch
    • Catch location
    • Quantity of mussels

    MDMR first put regulations in place for blue mussels in 1988 in an effort to protect wild populations from aquaculture efforts. Regulations also restrict mussel drags to have a maximum width of 6.5 ft, and fishing with gear is restricted between sunset and sunrise. There is no daily or annual catch limit for those who fish by hand or with a drag.

    In Massachusetts, towns that border the coastal waters are given the authority to control and regulate the take of any kind of shellfish. However, MADMF has the authority to regulate shellfish taken from contaminated areas. Town regulations include:

    • Daily limits
    • Size limits
    • Gear restrictions
    • Temporary and seasonal closures

    Harvesting blue mussels by hand rake in New York requires a NYSDEC permit and is also subject to a town permit depending on the town. A specific permit is required when using a dredge, which also has a daily catch limit. Fishing for shellfish is allowed year-round, but only during daylight hours and in designated areas.  

    Specific permits are also required to harvest blue mussels with dredges in Rhode Island. State agencies, the fishing industry, and stakeholders developed the Shellfish Management Plan in 2014 to establish Shellfish Management Areas to conserve and rebuild shellfish resources. This plan puts catch limits on commercial fishing within these Management Areas and no limits outside.

    Blue mussels are also farmed globally, on both coasts of North America, in Europe, Canada’s Prince Edward Island, China, and South America. Because they are filter feeders, feed is not required to grow them and thus there are no effluent concerns. Mussel farming in fact increases water quality at farming sites by removing excess nutrients and phytoplankton. Farming operations are typically located in intertidal and shallow subtidal environments, as well as in waters deeper than 66 ft (20 m). Farming operation impacts on the habitat are considered minimal.

    Mussel culture generally does not require chemicals such as antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to control fouling, predators, or disease. Production for farmed mussels include on-bottom or suspended culture. Suspended culture is more common as it allows for quick growth, low predation, and reduced sand accumulation. There are no safeguards for larval escape due to unrestricted broadcast spawning, so for those mussels that are cultured in their non-native ranges, these recipient ecosystems have been impacted through resource competition and habitat modification.

    Stock for farmed mussels comes from active collection via dredging, natural settlement, and passive settlement. Hatcheries are seldomly used to supply seed but have been employed by China since the 1970s. Most recently, the US Pacific Northwest has begun to use hatcheries as well.

    In 2016, the US produced 894,000 pounds of mussels, valued at $10.48 million. Maine is the largest US farmed blue mussel producer, and Washington is the West Coast’s major producer. US blue mussel aquaculture is federally managed by:

    • NOAA
    • Army Corps of Engineers
    • Fish & Wildlife Service
    • US Department of Agriculture
    • Environmental Protection Agency
    • Food and Drug Administration
    • Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
    • Coast Guard

    Aquaculture farms must follow regulations outlined in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Clean Water Act.

  • Wild
Wild

Impact on Stock

Declines in the Maine fishery have been reported, but abundance is assumed to be high in the Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island fisheries. In general, fishing levels relative to a sustainable level are unknown. All states have some regulations in place to control fishing rates.

Habitat Impacts

Mussel dredges cause more damage to the bottom habitat than hand rakes, but most states have measures in place to limit gear impacts. Relative to other dredging gear, mussel dredges are smaller and not hydraulic. These differences have less of an impact on the bottom substrate. Dredging usually occurs over intertidal and subtidal mudflats in nearshore bays. While the bottom sediment is mainly mud, some sand and shells can be mixed in. These nearshore bays may also be adjacent to or interspersed with eelgrass, which can be uprooted and damaged during dredging. Overall, dredging can disturb bottom flora and fauna, water quality, adult mussels and seed mussels, bay drainage, and food for birds and other organisms.

Bycatch

Fishers use both hand rakes and mussel drags or dredges to harvest blue mussels from their dense beds. Hand rakes allow fishers to selectively target the mussels. Bycatch is typically low and does not regularly include threatened, endangered, or protected species. When using hand rakes, most non-targeted species are returned unharmed, so the effects are negligible.

Impacts in the dredge fishery are more uncertain. Non-target species are still reported in low levels but can include bottom dwelling fish and other benthic invertebrates such as worms, sea urchins, crabs, and starfish that live among the mussel beds. These species are returned but may be harmed during the process. However, mussel dredges are size-restricted and the fishery is selective for mussels.

Management Effectiveness

Some spatial management policies are in place to help protect blue mussels’ ecological role, but more robust policies are necessary to reduce negative ecosystem impacts from fishing.

In Maine, the MDMR designated four seed conservation areas from which only seed-size mussels can be taken for grout. This is intended to help reduce conflict between the wild mussel fishery and expanding aquaculture industry. Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island show no evidence of declines or overfishing despite the lack of population monitoring.

Farmed

Habitat Impacts

Mussels are often raised on ropes submersed in coastal areas, a system considered to be one of the most environmentally friendly forms of aquaculture. They are also bottom cultured and harvested by dredging, which can degrade sediment and cause a decline in biodiversity. However, dredging cultured beds causes less damage than dredging natural ones. Although they are filterfeeders that improve water quality, mussels will only thrive in a healthy environment. Harmful algal toxins in the water have caused some mussel farming areas to be closed temporarily.

Mussel farms tend to be protected from duck predators with fine mesh that is heavily weighted to avoid problems there with entanglements.

Feed

Mussels are filterfeeders that take in plankton so no extra feed is needed to grow them.

Disease, Pathogen and Parasite Interaction

Disease incidence among mussels is low.

Escapes and Introduced Species

Mussels are generally farmed in areas where they are native and interbreeding between wild and escaped mussels doesn’t threaten the wild populations. Mediterranean mussels farmed in the U.S. are considered a naturalized species. 

Origin Harvest Method Sustainability Ratings FIP Source
Chile All Farming Methods
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
Chile (ASC) Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
Chile (ASC) On-Bottom Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
Denmark - Inner Danish Waters (MSC) Boat Dredge
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Denmark - Limfjord (MSC) Boat Dredge
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Denmark - Limfjord (MSC) Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Denmark - Limfjord (MSC) Traps
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Germany - Lower Saxony (MSC) Boat Dredge
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Germany - Lower Saxony (MSC) Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Germany - Wadden Sea (MSC) Boat Dredge
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Ireland (MSC) Boat Dredge
Seafood Watch- Unrated
Ocean Wise- Unrated
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Ireland (MSC) Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Irish Sea (MSC) Boat Dredge
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Netherlands (MSC) Boat Dredge
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Sweden (MSC) Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Unassessed Origin Unassessed Fishing Methods
Seafood Watch- Unrated
Ocean Wise- Unrated
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Unassessed Origin Unassessed Farming Methods
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
United Kingdom Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom On-Bottom Culture
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom (ASC) On-Bottom Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom (ASC) Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom (MSC) Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom (MSC) On-Bottom Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom - Cornwall Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom - Dorset (Southern IFCA District) Dredge Harvest
Seafood Watch- Unrated
Ocean Wise- Unrated
Good Fish Guide- Rating 3 Think
United Kingdom - Northern Ireland (MSC) Dredge Harvest
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 3 Think
United Kingdom - Northern Ireland (MSC) Hand Rake
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
United Kingdom - Scotland (MSC) Off-Bottom Culture
Seafood Watch- Eco-Certification Recognized
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide- Rating 1 Best Choice
USA - Maine Hand Dredges
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - Maine Hand Implements
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - Maine (FIP) Hand Dredges
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Fishery Improvement Project (FIP)
FIP product
USA - Maine (FIP) Hand Implements
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Fishery Improvement Project (FIP)
FIP product
USA - Massachusetts Hand Dredges
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - Massachusetts Hand Implements
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - New York Hand Dredges
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - New York Hand Implements
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - Rhode Island Hand Dredges
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Not Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
USA - Rhode Island Hand Implements
Seafood Watch- Good Alternative
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Worldwide Suspended Culture
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Worldwide On-Bottom Culture
Seafood Watch- Best Choice
Ocean Wise- Recommended
Good Fish Guide - Unrated
Name Country State/Province
A&R Seafood Company United States California
Allseas Fisheries Corp. Canada Ontario
American Mussel Harvesters United States Rhode Island
AquaPrime Mussel Ranch Canada Nova Scotia
Atlantic Aqua Farms Partnership Canada Prince Edward Island
Barry Group, Inc. Canada Newfoundland and Labrador
Catalina Offshore Products United States California
Catanese Classic Seafood United States Ohio
City Fish Canada Alberta
CleanFish United States California
Clipper Ship, Inc. United States Washington
Codfathers Seafood Market Canada British Columbia
Conchyliculture Gloucester Shellfish Co. Inc. Canada New Brunswick
Confederation Cove Mussel Company Canada Prince Edward Island
DiCarlo Seafood Company United States California
DOM International Limited Canada Ontario
Euclid Fish Company United States Ohio
Export Packers Company Limited Canada Ontario
Imperial Seafood and Shellfish Inc. United States Ohio
Intercity Packers Meat & Seafood Canada British Columbia
Island Creek Oysters United States Massachusetts
Island Sea Farms, Inc. Canada British Columbia
J.P.'s Shellfish, Inc. United States Maine
John Nagle Co. United States Massachusetts
Lotus Seafood Inc. United States California
Lusamerica Foods United States, United States, United States California
Macgregors Meat & Seafood Ltd. Canada Ontario
Maine Shellfish Company United States Maine
Marinelli Shellfish Co. United States Washington
Mariner Neptune United States Iowa
McRoberts Sales Co., Inc. United States, United States Florida
Monterey Fish Market United States California
Northeast Oceans United States Massachusetts
Northwest Fresh Seafood Company United States Oregon
Ocean Beauty Seafoods LLC United States Washington
OM Seafood Company United States Oregon
Out Landish Shellfish Guild Canada British Columbia
Pacific Harvest Seafoods United States California
Pangea Shellfish Company United States Massachusetts
Pemaquid Mussel Farm United States Maine
Penn Cove Shellfish, LLC. United States Washington
Pike Place Fish Market United States Washington
Prince Edward Aqua Farms Canada Prince Edward Island
Profish Ltd. United States District of Columbia
Red's Best United States Massachusetts
Robbie's Ocean Fresh Seafood, Inc. United States California
Royal Hawaiian Seafood United States California
Sailor's Seafoods Canada British Columbia
Sammy's Seafood Inc United States Florida
Samuels & Son Seafood Company, Inc. United States Pennsylvania
Sarasota Seafood Company United States Florida
Sea Forager Seafood United States California
Sea to Table, USA United States New York
Seacore Seafood Canada Ontario
Seattle Fish Co United States Colorado
Seattle Fish Company - Kansas City United States Missouri
Sogelco International, Inc. Canada Quebec
Star Fisheries Inc. United States California
Stavis Seafoods United States Massachusetts
The Fish Guys Inc. United States Minnesota
The Lobster Man Canada British Columbia
The Lobster Place Wholesale Seafood United States New York
Thimble Island Ocean Farm United States Connecticut
Whitecap International Seafood Exporters Canada Newfoundland and Labrador
Wixter Market United States Illinois

Acknowledgements

  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. (FAO)
  • NOAA Fisheries
  • Seafood Watch Program
  • SeafoodSource
Last Updated: 6/24/2020