133
with 879,000 tonnes in 2016. EU-28 is the second-largest world producer (522,000
tonnes in 2016) with production declining since 2007 by 6%. China and the EU-28
accounted for 67% of global mussel production in 2016. Chile, Thailand, New
Zealand and Republic of Korea are the four next largest producers (respectively
313,607 tonnes, 115,000 tonnes, 94,000 tonnes and 64,000 tonnes in 2016). The
production in each other country is below 30,000 tonnes (EUMOFA 2019). Within
Europe, where mussels have been cultivated for centuries, Spain remained the
industry leader. Aquaculture of mussels in North America began in the 1970s. In the
US, the northeast and northwest have significant mussel aquaculture operations,
where Mytilus edulis (blue mussel) is most grown. While the mussel industry in the
US has increased, in North America, 80% of cultured mussels are produced in
Prince Edward Island in Canada (Wikipedia 2019a).
The international trade of mussels was stable in terms of volume in 2017, while
the value of mussels increased in all importing countries. The EU-28 is the main
importer of mussels, accounting for about 70% of total imports. Following the production increase in 2017, Chile expanded mussel exports by 20% in the first
9 months, to reach 66,000 tonnes. While the traditional markets Spain and the
United States of America continue to be strong buyers, Chile accessed the Chinese
market (FAO-Globefish 2018a).
Some Important Species of Mussels
There are hundreds of species of mussel but only about a dozen or so are fished
commercially. Commercially most relevant marine mussel species belong to the
two genera of Mytilus and Perna. Mytilus species occur in temperate waters of
Europe, Asia, and America, whereas Perna species are cultured in warmer waters
such as Thailand, the Philippines, China, and New Zealand. Within the genus
Mytilus, the marine mollusc M. edulis is commonly known as blue or black mussel
due to the colour of its shell. It is mostly cultured in Canada, USA, Europe, and
Africa. Another common edible mussel, M. galloprovincialis, originates from the
Mediterranean Sea (Gosling 1992). Concerning the genus Perna, major aquaculture
mussel species include P. viridis, the Asian green mussel, and P. canaliculus, the
green-lipped mussel which is endemic to New Zealand. P. canaliculus is an integral
dietary part of the indigenous Maori culture and is the basis of an important aquaculture and processing industry serving both export and domestic markets
(Wakimoto et al. 2011).
Mytilus edulis (Linnaeus 1758) (Blue Mussel)
The blue mussel Mytilus edulis has a wide distribution in the northern hemisphere,
occurring in European waters from Spitsbergen to western France, and on the
Atlantic coast of North America from the Canadian Maritimes southward to North
Carolina (Gosling 2015).
Shell is solid, equivalve, in equilateral, beaks at the anterior end approximately
triangular in outline. Hinge line is without teeth but with 3–12 small crenulations
3.1 Bivalves
with 879,000 tonnes in 2016. EU-28 is the second-largest world producer (522,000
tonnes in 2016) with production declining since 2007 by 6%. China and the EU-28
accounted for 67% of global mussel production in 2016. Chile, Thailand, New
Zealand and Republic of Korea are the four next largest producers (respectively
313,607 tonnes, 115,000 tonnes, 94,000 tonnes and 64,000 tonnes in 2016). The
production in each other country is below 30,000 tonnes (EUMOFA 2019). Within
Europe, where mussels have been cultivated for centuries, Spain remained the
industry leader. Aquaculture of mussels in North America began in the 1970s. In the
US, the northeast and northwest have significant mussel aquaculture operations,
where Mytilus edulis (blue mussel) is most grown. While the mussel industry in the
US has increased, in North America, 80% of cultured mussels are produced in
Prince Edward Island in Canada (Wikipedia 2019a).
The international trade of mussels was stable in terms of volume in 2017, while
the value of mussels increased in all importing countries. The EU-28 is the main
importer of mussels, accounting for about 70% of total imports. Following the production increase in 2017, Chile expanded mussel exports by 20% in the first
9 months, to reach 66,000 tonnes. While the traditional markets Spain and the
United States of America continue to be strong buyers, Chile accessed the Chinese
market (FAO-Globefish 2018a).
Some Important Species of Mussels
There are hundreds of species of mussel but only about a dozen or so are fished
commercially. Commercially most relevant marine mussel species belong to the
two genera of Mytilus and Perna. Mytilus species occur in temperate waters of
Europe, Asia, and America, whereas Perna species are cultured in warmer waters
such as Thailand, the Philippines, China, and New Zealand. Within the genus
Mytilus, the marine mollusc M. edulis is commonly known as blue or black mussel
due to the colour of its shell. It is mostly cultured in Canada, USA, Europe, and
Africa. Another common edible mussel, M. galloprovincialis, originates from the
Mediterranean Sea (Gosling 1992). Concerning the genus Perna, major aquaculture
mussel species include P. viridis, the Asian green mussel, and P. canaliculus, the
green-lipped mussel which is endemic to New Zealand. P. canaliculus is an integral
dietary part of the indigenous Maori culture and is the basis of an important aquaculture and processing industry serving both export and domestic markets
(Wakimoto et al. 2011).
Mytilus edulis (Linnaeus 1758) (Blue Mussel)
The blue mussel Mytilus edulis has a wide distribution in the northern hemisphere,
occurring in European waters from Spitsbergen to western France, and on the
Atlantic coast of North America from the Canadian Maritimes southward to North
Carolina (Gosling 2015).
Shell is solid, equivalve, in equilateral, beaks at the anterior end approximately
triangular in outline. Hinge line is without teeth but with 3–12 small crenulations
3.1 Bivalves