German mussel fisheries apply for MSC ecolabel

The fisheries in Lower Saxony use their five vessels to harvest a culture area of 1300ha, most of which is in the Ems and Jade estuaries off the coast of Lower Saxony.

The blue mussel fishery combines wild mussel fishing and mussel farming. The mussel fishers collect spat from wild mussel beds, where they settle following a natural spatfall. Alternatively, mussel seed is collected using suspended ropes and nets. The fishermen use special machines to brush the seed mussels off the ropes. Most of the culture plots are constantly submerged and are in fairly secluded areas with weak currents. There the mussels grow undisturbed, reaching edible size in one or two years, after which they can be harvested for sale. They are harvested using dredges, which consist of an iron frame with a net attached.

The mussel fishers do not intervene in the growth process on the culture plots to increase production. “Mussels are a natural product that we do not influence. We take mussels from one location, place them somewhere else and pray for a good harvest,” explains a fisherman from Niedersächsische Muschelfischer GbR. In the 2009/2010 season, the 18 employees of the four mussel fisheries landed approximately 3400t of mussels. Most of the harvest is sold to wholesalers at the Dutch mussel auction in Yerseke. The main markets for fresh mussels are in the Benelux countries and France. In Germany, the Rhineland is traditionally regarded as a gourmet region for the sale of mussels.

The four family fisheries in Lower Saxony have been living from mussel fishing for generations. “Mussels have been harvested in this way in Lower Saxony for about 60 years and it is in our own interest to practise sustainable fishing methods. We have applied for MSC certification in order to have the sustainability of our practices recognised by independent third parties,” says Manuela Gubernator, who is responsible for representing the interests of the mussel fishers on land.