The status of blue mussel stocks in the Northeast Atlantic is poor. The species grows relatively slowly, can reach an advanced age and is therefore sensitive to intensive fishing. Due to the limited movement of mussels, mussel beds can deteriorate or disappear for long periods when overfished. In several parts of the species’ range, mussel beds have declined in recent years.
Fishing with mussel dredges has little bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species. However, bottom-dwelling animals, corals and other reef-forming organisms are regularly caught as bycatch. Discards are insufficiently documented, but data from MSC-certified fisheries show that less than 10% of the catch consists of unmanaged or overfished species. Mussel dredges cause very significant damage to the seabed and the organisms living there. This can cause the structure of mussel beds to disappear and disrupt the food web for long periods. CO₂ emissions from this fishery are moderate. Lost mussel dredges pose little risk of ghost fishing because they are heavy and remain on the seabed.
Management is considered partially effective. Monitoring varies considerably by region: a lot of data are available for MSC-certified fisheries, but in large parts of the species’ range, up-to-date data on the size and distribution of mussel beds are lacking. In the European Union and the United Kingdom, measures are in place to limit fishing pressure and damage to vulnerable habitats, including closed areas and nature protection measures. Nevertheless, mussel beds in Scotland and Sweden, among others, continue to decline, and they have disappeared in parts of France. There are no Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) for this fishery. Within FAO Area 27, five fisheries are MSC-certified.