Our mussels settle naturally on special ropes that we hang in the water column to collect them. The mussels feed on natural plankton, with no other inputs, and the crop is inherently sustainable.

 Growing mussels is also a great way to capture carbon, and contribute to a zero-carbon future. Their shells are composites of calcium carbonate and organic material created by the mussels through a process known as biomineralisation.

The waters and seabed surrounding the farm sites have been studied since we started farming, by scientists from the Marine Institute at Plymouth University, as part of two PhD projects.

The work is designed to see how the farm affects the marine environment and is already throwing up some interesting results, as the mussel lines have started to provide habitat for many species of fish, shellfish and other marine life. In this way, we are providing valuable ecosystem services.

Our efforts to ensure we operate sustainably have seen Offshore Shellfish become the first mussel farm in Europe to obtain BAP certification which is a testament to the dedicated and conscientious work of our crews at sea, the management team onshore and the environmental research team at Plymouth University.