SeaChoice “Best Choice” Seafood Profile

Indian Point Marine Farms – Flexing Their Sustainable Mussels

This profile was written by SeaChoice Atlantic Coordinator Sadie Beaton

Nova Scotia teems with fresh, local supper fare all year, especially through the summer and fall. And with so many evenings too nice to spend inside, along with tasty, inexpensive and sustainable seafood choices like ‘Indian Point’ mussels available, what more excuse do you need to fire up the barbecue tonight?

Coastal peoples have long feasted on mussels found along temperate and polar coasts around the world. Nutritious, delicious, and available locally, this blue-shelled mollusk continues to increase in popularity. The best part is that cultivated mussels are a SeaChoice “Best Choice” option. The “Best Choice” designation is based on the following SeaChoice fisheries assessments criteria: inherent vulnerability to fishing pressure; status of wild stocks; nature and extent of discarded by-catch; effect of fishing practices on habitats and ecosystems; and the effectiveness of the management regime.

Unlike fin-fish farming, mussels are grown without the use of feeds or chemicals. No new food nutrients are added to the ecosystem, as the mussels simply filter out plankton from the tidal waters that pass through their gill filaments. Prolific and quick-growing, these mollusks are well suited to sustainable cultivation on Maritime coasts, where the water is clean and tides are right. Mussel farms can even improve local water conditions, removing excess algae, nutrients and sediment as they filter feed.

About once a year, in June or July, mature mussels release millions of baby mussels called spat. These tiny creatures happily anchor themselves to hanging ropes designed for their cultivation. At harvest time, ropes covered with plump mussels are lifted into boats and carefully removed.

Located on the cold, clear waters just outside of Mahone Bay, Indian Point Marine Farms Limited have an impressive commitment to sustainable mussel cultivation. As owner Peter Darnell describes, “for a mussel farm to be successful, we must have clean water and we must not exceed the carrying capacity of our leases.” And, at Indian Point, Darnell and his crew have gone the extra mile. For example, six years ago the farm switched from disposable polypropylene to a biodegradable cotton socking to help bind young mussels to the reusable ropes. They also replaced their styrofoam buoys, which can break up in the ocean, to pressurized hard plastic floats, which are easily reusable by other fishers if they come adrift and wash up on beaches.

While mussels are generally a sustainable seafood choice, not all harvesting methods are equal. Internationally, mussels are sometimes dredged, causing significant impacts to the surrounding ecosystems. Even among cultivated mussels, the technologies and scale of production vary widely, and as operations become more intensive, the integrity of the operation may be jeopardized. Darnell explains, “Over the twenty-four years that we have been in business, we have tried to maximize production by crowding long-lines on our leases but have learned that lower grow-out densities result in faster growing times and better quality mussels.” Indian Point Marine Farm’s focus on sustainability is paying off, with consumers asking for Indian Point mussels by name.

Now that your appetite is whetted, it is time to get your barbecue on! Currently, Indian Point mussels are available, at most restaurants and supermarkets in Hubbards, Chester, Western Shore, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Bridgewater and points in between. Don’t despair if you live outside of the region – there are a number of other exceptional mussel suppliers worth recommending, including Aquaprime Mussel Ranch in Ship Harbour and Country Harbour Sea Farm in Guysborough County. Ask your local seafood provider where and how their mussels were sourced. With sufficient local demand, consumers can help make sustainable seafood products like Indian Point mussels more readily available.

Once you’ve bought and cleaned your “Best Choice” mussels, all you have to do is spread some heavy-duty foil on the barbecue. Then make a sort of bowl by bringing the sides of foil up around the mussels. Close the barbecue lid and allow the mussels to steam over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, discarding any that don’t open. (Of course, if it’s not such a sunny day, you can always steam them in a pot on your stove.)

Try steaming mussels in vermouth or white wine along with some shallots, garlic and herbs, or go Southeast Asian style with coconut milk, ginger, lemon grass and chilies. Why not grill some garlic bread or a selection of marinated local vegetables while the heat is on? Finally, as your Indian Point mussels are heating up, pour yourself a cold beer or glass of white wine, and soak in what a sustainable Nova Scotia has to offer.