The recent sunny weather has triggered an early start to the harvest season for rope-grown mussels in Zeeland.
Near the island of Neeltje Jans in the Oosterschelde, mussel farmer Jacco Schot retrieves the first ropes of mussels from the water. "We’ve had a very sunny March, which has stimulated strong algae growth, providing good nutrition for the mussels. It’s the first time in five years that we can harvest them this early," he said.
Rope-cultivated mussels typically precede the start of the traditional mussel season, usually beginning in the second week of July. Unlike bottom-culture mussels, they are grown on ropes just below the water surface, where they receive more sunlight and ripen earlier.
"When bottom-culture mussels come into season, the rope-cultivated ones are usually just finished, so it follows each other nicely," said Jan Bout, a mussel fisherman from Bruinisse. "The volume of rope-cultured mussels is relatively consistent. In contrast, bottom-culture mussels can vary more, as they are more sensitive to storms, for example."
The Zeeland rope-cultivated mussel is a niche product, accounting for just 5% of the total Dutch mussel production. The nutrient-rich waters of Zeeland, such as the Oosterschelde, Grevelingenmeer, and Veerse Meer, provide ideal conditions for this sustainable cultivation method. The mussels being harvested today began as seeds two years ago.
"65% of mussels harvested in the Netherlands are exported to Belgium," noted Bout. "This developed historically because they were traditionally delivered by boat, and Belgium was easily accessible via the rivers."
