A unique new mussel farm flotation system for use in exposed sea sites is now in successful operation in the UK and already helping to produce high quality, fast growing mussels.
The system has been jointly developed by Offshore Shellfish Ltd and Fusion Marine Ltd. Offshore Shellfish Ltd (OSL) is the first company in Europe to install a large scale, rope grown mussel farm in fully offshore conditions. Situated between three and six miles off the coast of South Devon in Lyme Bay, one of the key challenges for the farm was to develop a flotation system that could cope with the rigours of severe winter storms.
With this mind, OSL managing director John Holmyard came up with an initial float design concept working in a vertical position, as opposed to the traditional horizontal-axis barrel floats normally used to suspend mussel ropes. He then sought the help of Fusion Marine to refine his ideas and turn them into reality.
“We had worked with Fusion Marine before and trusted them to translate our ideas into a durable float of a specific shape and size that would ride the waves and reduce movement on the mussel lines ensuring that the crop does not fall off”, said Mr Holmyard.
Manufactured from high density polyethylene (HDPE), the 250 litre floats feature unique injection moulded end with robust connections that are butt fused onto a length of large diameter HDPE pipe to create the float. This creates a set of extremely strong rope connection points that allow secure and standardised attachment of the float to the headlines.
By working in the vertical axis, the floats exhibit a more gentle motion than is experienced with barrel floats, as waves pass over the headlines. The robustness of the float means they can be allowed to submerge if required, which ensures that extreme forces aren’t transferred to the ropes, thereby preventing mussels from becoming dislodged. The end result is better growing conditions and increased harvests, as well as protection of the overall integrity of the farm.
