Using fallow and active salmon farm site infrastructure to support native rope grown mussel culture, Blue Food, Blue Environment will use the ecosystem services provided by rope grown mussels to mitigate and regenerate environmental impacts of salmon farming.
£26,893.10
5 Months
Blue Environment, Blue Food brought together diverse stakeholders within the aquaculture sector. Working together to improve the environmental impacts of salmon farming and fish feed production through the installation of rope grown mussel culture at active and inactive salmon farm sites, Isle of Skye Mussel Company Ltd, Scottish Sea Farms Ltd, World Feeds Ltd, Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Consortium and Stirling University Institute of Aquaculture explored the potential of native blue shell mussels to restore environmental and ecological conditions within the marine environment impacted by salmon aquaculture.
The project established the methodology and licensing conditions required for installation of mussel ropes suspended from salmon farm infrastructure and the potential for sustainable protein harvested from the mussels to be used within cleaner fish food production. The support of the SIF03 funding call has been crucial in getting the project off the ground in 2022, and 2023 shall see the project continue, building on the good working relationships established during this initial feasibility study.
Isle of Skye Mussel Company Ltd