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Longline Shellfish - Saltwater
Shellfish Longline Culture
Farming mussels, oysters, and scallops on ropes suspended from surface longlines - one of the most sustainable animal protein sources available.
Sustainability: ★★★★★ Scale: Medium
📖 Overview
Filter-feeding shellfish require no feed - they filter phytoplankton from the water. Longline culture suspends young shellfish (spat) from horizontal lines held at the surface by floats. The shellfish grow while cleaning the water of nutrients and algae. Blue mussels in New Zealand, oysters in France and Chesapeake Bay, and Chilean mussels are all farmed this way.
🐟 Species Commonly Farmed
Blue mussels, Mediterranean mussels, Pacific oysters, Eastern oysters, scallops.
🌱 Environmental Impact
Net-positive - shellfish farms filter water and improve local quality. Restore ecosystem services once provided by wild oyster reefs.