Offshore Shellfish Ltd is a family-run company running an offshore, rope cultured mussel farm for the native blue mussel, Mytilus edulis. Once complete, the farm will be largest of its kind in European waters, with capacity to grow more than 10,000 tonnes of mussels per year. The farm is situated in open water, between 3 and 6 miles out to sea in Lyme Bay, Devon. It is well-placed to take advantage of the ideal growing conditions present in the English Channel. 

Custom-made ropes, suspended from longlines in continuous loops, collect naturally occurring wild mussel larvae, which settle as microscopic ‘spat’ during late spring. After the spat has grown for a few months, it is stripped from the ropes, washed, graded and seeded onto new ropes at the ideal density using a wrapping of biodegradable cotton. The reseeded ropes are hung back in the water, where the mussels are left to grow to market size. 

Mussel farming requires no inputs of feed, chemicals or medications. Offshore Shellfish Ltd is committed improving the marine habitat, becoming the first mussel farm in Europe to attain Best Aquaculture Practise (BAP) certification from the Global Seafood Alliance. It is also certified by the ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) and as an organic aquaculture farm by the Soil Association.

Working with the University of Plymouth, Offshore Shellfish has evidenced an increase in biodiversity, productivity and species richness within the farm. Offshore farms can contribute to improving the quality and clarity of our waters once again.  Mussels can also permanently lock up large amounts of carbon, as their shells are formed of calcium carbonate.  

Read more about the company here.