Another step closer to Belgian mussels

Last week, the first batch of mussels from the Flemish banks arrived in Ostend. The company Brevisco thus proves that it has developed a reliable technique to cultivate mussels in the rough North Sea. Nevertheless, they are not Belgian mussels, as they were cultivated just across the French border. This is because the SME did not succeed in obtaining a permit for cultivating mussels in the Belgian part of the North Sea.

Brevisco is also closely involved in the SYMAPA project, a Blue Cluster innovation project that explores potential synergies between the offshore cultivation of mussels, seaweed and oysters and passive fisheries. This project’s research zone is located in the Westdiep area, located approximately 5km off the coast of Nieuwpoort and Knokke. 

It is the same zone in which Colruyt Group wants to build a sea farm. The operational and environmental permit for this sea farm have already been granted. In total, this sea farm can occupy a maximum area of 4.5 square kilometres.

The sea farm plans are already well advanced. Colruyt Group aims to create a first cultivation zone for mussels after the summer. It will cover 1 square kilometre and should supply 200 tonnes of mussels annually. The aim is to gradually scale up and start cultivating seaweed and oysters.

If everything goes according to plan, the first farmed mussels should be on sale at retailers in two years’ time.