Long-line culture of green mussel in Malaysia

Photos’ credit: Farahiyah ilyana Jamaludin (Malaysia)

Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)

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The green mussel (Perna viridis) has a commercial importance and considered a good candidate for aquaculture because of its production characterizes especially its higher growth which enables reaching commercial sizes after a relatively short period of time. Moreover, the availability of its natural seeds has been a major asset encouraging the culture of the species. Added to that, their sturdy nature and resistant to catastrophic mass mortalities make it possible to produce large quantities of green mussel at reasonable prices. Their ability of using their byssus to attach to substrates makes the animals an ideal farmed species using different culture systems.

In Malaysia, the culture of green mussels showed a considerable potential in the coastal waters whereas the culture activity started in the Johore Straits –where the inserted pictures are taken-.  The strait of Johor is the largest producer of green mussels in Malaysia. Afterwards, the farming activities of green mussel spread to the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

The Longline green mussel farm comprises by parallel lines maintained near the water surface with buoys to which a series of vertical ropes are attached with intervals of about 50-70 cm and about 4 m space from the bottom. The vertical ropes provide grow out substrate to the mussels. The floats are anchored firmly to the bottom to keep the longlines on the surface of the water.

It may worth mentioning that the success of mussel culture in most parts of the world including the Johor strait (Indonesia) is confined to the availability of natural seed within the vicinity of the culture site. The same is true in regard to the availability of natural food and the rate of replenishment of the nutrients or phytoplankton by water current into the culture area.

 

 

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