Cat Cove Marine Lab

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About Growing Mussels

In 2015, we obtained an Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) permit pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 to establish a commercial scale (33 acre) offshore mussel farm 7 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Ann Massachusetts (NAE-2012-1598 NEMAC Aquaculture). Conditions of this permitting allow the establishment of up to 3-longlines as a pilot study to determine feasibility and any possible habitat or protected species interactions.

In October 2016, we deployed the first of 3 longlines as a pilot research study to explore best practices for offshore shellfish aquaculture as well as monitor for potential habitat effects or protected species interactions attributed to shellfish aquaculture in offshore waters. In September 2017, we made our first harvest of 150 lbs of mussels.

Mussel line harvest

After a successful pilot research study, we plan to modify our permit to expand the number of longlines to a commercial scale farm with 32 – 400 ft longlines. Our ultimate objective is to refine and enhance offshore shellfish aquaculture as an alternative fishing option for fishermen and lobstermen currently displaced or negatively impacted by current fishery restrictions by providing an incubator farm site for interested parties to try offshore aquaculture. This site will also become a fixed monitoring station for measuring oceanographic parameters and shellfish growth dynamics.

Mussels at harvest.JPG

Cat Cove Marine Lab

NOAA Aquaculture

About Growing Mussels