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Contact Person(s):
margriet.drouillon
ugent.be (margriet[dot]drouillon[at]ugent[dot]be)
+32 484 13 95 39
The project is largely financed by private funding and facilitated by Flemish and European funding.
Edulis studies the feasibility of mussel culture in offshore wind farms, 30 to 50 kilometers off the Belgian coast. In May 2017, a first experimental mussel culture system was installed in the C-Power wind farm to monitor the mussel seed capture, mussel growth and impacts of environmental factors. A second mussel culture system was placed in the Belwind concession in November 2017. The forces exerted by the sea on the mussel longline have been measured. By comparing these results to the prevailing currents and wave conditions, the minimum requirements for a mussel culture system can be determined and the system design can be optimized.
Expected clarifications by the end of the project
- The biological feasibility of offshore mussel culture in the Belgian North Sea;
- The technical feasibility and requirements for an offshore mussel culture system fit for heavy sea;
- The possibilities for integration of mussel farming with the existing activities in wind farms;
- The profitability of commercial offshore mussel culture;
- The sustainability of offshore mussel culture and the impact on seawater quality.
Project Partners
- Ghent University - Laboratory of Aquaculture & ARC (BE);
- Ghent University - Maritime Technology Division (BE);
- Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food - ILVO (BE);
- Belwind (BE);
- Brevisco (BE);
- C-Power (BE);
- Colruyt Group (BE);
- DEME Group (BE);
- OD Natural Environment (BE).