PEI Mussel Farmers– hardworking and tenacious caretakers of our healthy, versatile and delicious mussels.
MEET OUR PEI FARMERS
Prince Edward Island's mussel industry has grown from an annual yield of 88,000 pounds (40 tonnes) in 1980 to a staggering 50 million pounds (22,730 tonnes) today. The industry has become a vital sector of the rural economy and represents 80% of Canadian mussel production.
PEI Mussels are rope-grown and farmed by dedicated mussel farmers who love what they do. Like any farmer, PEI Mussel farmers are the caretakers of their surrounding natural elements that provide them the opportunity to produce safe and healthy food.
Farming mussels is a detailed process that requires year-round commitment, knowledge, and patience. The farmers collect mussel seeds in the wild, sort them, grade them, place them into socks, and then bring the mussels back to the water. Farmers maintain their mussels for over a year or so until they've grown to market size. Once harvested, they are stripped from their socks, de-clumped, cleaned, have their beards removed, and are visually inspected. All of this is done very gently to protect this live seafood.