Fake News Mussel Farming A "New Climate Bomb"

A review of the multiple benefits of mussel farming

“…One of the main options considered is the farming of blue mussels ( Mytilus edulis ) (Fenchel et al . ).…”

“…Netherlands) are considering the adoption of new rules to allow new marine aquaculture to be established for fish farming in net cages. One of the main options considered is the farming of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) (Fenchel et al 2017).…”

“…This flux of mussel biodeposits to the benthos depends on the available diet and mussel size and thus could differ significantly between locations, seasons and the size structure of the population (Giles & Pilditch 2004). These processes should be accounted for in an ecosystem approach, having in mind that mussel farming will also cause a larger proportion of primary production to degrade under oxygenated conditions, instead of being degraded without oxygen in the sediment (Fenchel et al 2017). In a strongly autotrophic ecosystem, CO 2 production by carbonate precipitation may be counteracted by organic productivity through uptake of generated CO 2 , resulting in a lower transfer of CO 2 from water to the atmosphere or even in a transfer in the opposite direction (Tang et al 2011).…”

“…The article claimed that bivalve farming may have an serious effect on climate, because mussels are 'important contributors of methane, due to bacteria in their gut'. This fake news was counteracted by Fenchel et al (2017), who elucidated that bivalves has always been part of the well-known biogeochemical cycle of methane, and this production is negligible in relation to the total methane production in the sediment. A holistic approach to evaluate the net contribution should consider: (i) the effects of cultured populations and not the budget of a single individual and (ii) that bivalves are a combination of tissue and shell, both of which require energy expenditure for maintenance and growth.…”