MZI installations make use of the lifecycle of the mussel. When the larvae drift around to latch onto a substrate, they are caught by artificial substrate made from ropes and nets. The ropes with the larvae are then wrapped around the wooden poles for further development. MZIs are a selective method to fish for mussel seed compared to traditional beamtrawling.
The mussel seed in spread on seafloor parcels. Here they grow until they are big enough for consumption. Harvest is done with specialised trawlingnets.