Demand for cultured ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa) has grown exponentially in recent years due to their use in a wide range of ecological engineering projects, such as bacterial remediation, bioextraction, ecosystem stabilization, living shoreline development, and coastal resiliency. However, consistent ribbed mussel seed production has remained challenging and unreliable. Unlike the well-established husbandry techniques for the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), culture techniques for ribbed mussels remain severely underdeveloped. To meet the growing demand for cultured ribbed mussels, present studies will build upon the work of the Ribbed Mussel Aquaculture Collaborative (RMAC) and seek to address significant gaps in the ribbed mussel aquaculture literature. All major aspects of ribbed mussel hatchery production, including broodstock conditioning, spawning, larviculture, settlement/recruitment, and juvenile culture are being studied. Since the project’s primary goal was to accelerate the commercialization of ribbed mussel aquaculture, deliverables and outputs were anticipated to include practical tools, techniques, and resources that could be easily adopted by private and public shellfish hatcheries, alike. The chief anticipated outcome of this project was a well-laid foundation for a reliable ribbed mussel seed supply. While this ongoing study has helped begin to develop repeatable methodology in ribbed mussel hatchery and nursery techniques, large protocol gaps continue to exist perpetuating inconsistencies in meeting seed demand
Included among current work done to address gaps in ribbed mussel aquaculture techniques are feeding studies examining smaller particulate feed inclusion using a mix of either Tisochrysis lutea and Nannochloropsis sp. (fig. 1) or Tisochrysis lutea and a novel potential yeast feed source (Picchia pastoris), larval recruitment enhancement using potential chemical cues from Spartina alterniflora, and exploring more reliable spawning techniques via alternative gamete release triggers.