Improving Marine Water Quality by Mussel Farming: A Profitable Solution for Swedish Society

Magnitude, spatial scale and optimization of ecosystem services from a nutrient extraction mussel farm in the eutrophic Skive Fjord, Denmark

“…This estimate is higher than the removal of 0.1 to 0.7 t ha −1 yr −1 estimated by the FARM-model for long-line cultures of Mytilus spp. at 3 other European sites (Rose et al 2015) and is also higher than the removal of 1.1 t ha −1 yr −1 estimated in a field study on the Swedish west coast (Lindahl et al 2005).…”

“…Blue mussels Mytilus edulis can grow rapidly under eutrophic conditions because of the high phyto plankton concentrations, and transform the excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) into mussel meat that is subsequently removed from coastal waters during the mussel harvest. Consequently, the introduction of suspended bivalve farms has been proposed as an eco-engineering approach for removing nutrients from eutrophic marine environments and improving water quality (Haamer 1996, Edebo et al 2000, Newell 2004, Petersen 2004, Lindahl et al 2005, Gren et al 2009, Petersen et al 2012, Rose et al 2012.…”

“…Haamer 1996, Hart 2003, Lindahl et al 2005, Gren et al 2009, Lindahl & Kollberg 2009 or through theoretical modelling (Hart 2003, Nunes et al 2011). The only non-pilot scale study of nutrient removal by an extractive mussel farm was that of Petersen et al (2014), who showed that a typical Danish mussel farm (18.8 ha) in a eutrophic fjord was able to costeffectively remove 0.6 to 0.9 t N ha −1 yr −1 and 0.03 to 0.05 t P ha −1 yr −1…”

State of the Art and Challenges for Offshore Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)

“…To be able to capture these benefits it will be necessary to: (1) determine and quantify the environmental costs and externalities from cultivating fed species (i.e., fish), and (2) develop economic frameworks for internalizing positive outcomes of the integration of extractive organisms. For example, a program was developed for Swedish mussel farmers, wherein farmers got credits to offset nutrient [carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P)] discharges (e.g., from sewage outfalls) (Lindahl et al, 2005;Lindahl, 2011). This raises, however, the question-how relevant is this payment for offset in offshore areas?…”

Mussel Farming and Its Potential in the Baltic Sea

“…There are different viewpoints regarding the use of the end product of farming -mussel. Mussel farming reduces eutrophication in water (Lindahl et al, 2005;Gren, Lindahl & Lindqvist, 2009;Stadmark & Conley, 2011). This factor might be a cause for future pollution quotas of allocation to the countries considered.…”