Mussel and oyster culture
The different methods used to farm mussels and oysters are listed below.
Bottom culture
Bottom culture can be used to farm mussels and oysters. Mussel seed or oyster brood is sown on underwater plots, where they are grown to consumption size and then harvested with special trawl nets. Bottom culture can be practiced with or without the use of seed collectors which are used to collect mussel seed out of the water. When farming without using collectors, mussel seed is caught by finely meshed trawl nets. Neither of these methods have impact on the sea floor. Oyster brood is collected at special breeding plots and also has no impact on the sea floor.
Bags
In France, oysters are grown in bags on ‘tables’ that are located in the intertidal area. The oyster brood is grown in hatcheries before it is placed in the bags. Oyster farming does not have any impact on the sea floor.
Hanging mussel culture
Bouchots (poles)
Bouchots are poles on which mussels are farmed. Ropes or nets lined with mussel seed are wrapped around the poles where they are left to grow to consumption size. This method is mainly used on the Atlantic coast of France. The mussels are harvested by manually or mechanically scraping them off of the poles. Some bouchots can even use the ropes that come from mussel seed collectors which have been used to collect mussel seed at another location. This is more sustainable than the traditional fishing method for mussel seed.