Friend of the Sea has certified Mont Saint Michel Bay ‘moules de bouchot’ from Trad’Ocean.
The certification followed an independent audit of compliance to Friend of the Sea strict requirements.
The traditional French ‘bouchot’ method of mussel culture is carried out on wooden poles that are placed upright into the sea bed in the low inter-tidal region. Mussel spat can be mechanically loaded into a long ‘stocking’ of natural fibre that can then be wound around the bouchot. As the stocking fibre rots, the mussels attach by byssus to the bouchot.
In Mont Saint Michel bay tides have a 14m amplitude which allows water to remain clean and plankton rich at all times. The mussel area acts as a reserve as no fishing is allowed in the area. 30% of the mussels are returned to the spawning grounds and for birds. Trad’Ocean has provided evidence that the wooden poles used are certified sustainable and it is engaged in assessing and gradually reducing its per unit energy consumption.
Trad’Océan mussels are sold with the Friend of the Sea ecolabel by the Swiss company Covedis and Swiss retail chain Manor. “This recognition is an additional confirmation of the natural origin and high quality of our mussels,” comments Mr Le Bihan, director of Trad’Ocean.
