AQUA 2024

August 26 - 30, 2024

Copenhagen, Denmark

CAN BILLIONS OF BLUE MUSSELS Mytilus edulis CONTRIBUTE TO ECOSYSTEM SERVICE AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD AT THE SAME TIME. BENEFITS, CHALLENGES AND MYTHS

Authors: Maren M oltke Lyngsgaard, WSP & Lisbeth Jess Plesner, Hedeselskabet

 



 We are facing several global crises in the area of climate, biodiversity and food. Blue mussels have great potential to counteract these crises with little or no disadvantages. EU with Green Deal and Farm to fork consider the  blue mussel pr oduction  as an important tool in the green transition of the food system ,  although several stakeholders see mussel production as a huge polluter . This presentation will focus on the blue mussel production in Denmar k, challenges related to legislations and permissions, and environmental impact and benefits.  To assess environmental  impacts, the results from a new study will  show how biodiversity, and oxygen consumption is impacted by two mussel farms in poorly circulated water areas and by two mussel farms in good circulated water areas. All four farms in the nutrient-rich Limfjorden in Denmark. The results are used to define recommendations for policy makers based on ecosystem and biomass related considerations.