In Sweden, four different types of ropes are used as substrate for the growth of mussels at specific mussel farming sites in the open sea and these ropes perform differently, in terms of harvest biomass per meter rope. The performance of a certain rope-type is different between different farm locations, for example, one type of rope performs well at one farm-site but is useless on another site, presumably because of different environmental conditions. It is difficult to tell in general which type of rope is best, because there is no “one type fits all” solution. 

The criteria for good performance are: 

1. The mussels should not fall off the rope during growth, or when pulled up from the water at harvest. 

1. The ropes should not get twisted around themselves while hanging in the water. 

1. Substrate from the ropes should not get ripped off by the harvester and end up in the harvest.  

The selected applicant should evaluate the performance of different ropes at different sites, coupled with site-specific conditions (e.g. exposure, current, strength of byssus thread attachment by the mussels), focusing on the Ecopelag farms. The expected result is the development of expertise on which ropes to use in low-saline waters and in different site conditions.  

According to the Danish regulation, all elements on a Mussel farm must be marked with a unique code to identify the equipment owner. The marking system should be robust, and it should allow the read of the unique number after the equipment has been submerged and exposed to biofouling. This includes the development of a marking system with the possibility of identifying unique codes to be applied to the equipment.  

Testing activities should focus on stability and readability of ownership marks. The performance of the marks may be evaluated according to: 

• Easy to attach to the farm elements. 

• The mark must be robust according to seawater and the processing.  

• The tacks should be readable for >20 y. 

• Easy to read by the mussel farmer and the authorities. 

• Reading should not be affected by biofouling. 

• The cost of the system should be below 1 EUR per mark. 

The system must be tested at a submerged mussel farm in the Limfjord (Denmark) on different types of equipment (pipes, nets, concrete blocks, markings etc.). The selected applicant shall do the marking of the equipment and monitor the performance of the marks. Taking into consideration the budget limitation, another possibility would be to develop a marking system, a plan for tests and a manual for the implementation of outcomes of tests.  

!n the low saline part of the Baltic Sea, it takes 2 years for a blue mussel to reach good size for harvest. Harvest is performed with a specialized floating harvest machine, and because of the high costs associated with the harvest, it is important to optimize the transport of harvested mussels from the offshore farm to quay. 

When mussels are harvested, they are still alive and will continue to live as long as they are kept in good conditions. However, at harvest they are collected in dense packed bags and stored in the open air. Under those conditions, the time that the mussels can survive limits the time available for collection and transport to quay, and the time available for further transport and processing. 

The harvester has a limit of ca 5 tons per day and the smallest reasonable amount to transport to the quay is 15 tons. The selected applicant should evaluate feasibility of harvesting limits, taking into consideration conditions for survival of mussels. The identified problem is the survival of the mussels, which depends on water temperature and density of packaging. In addition to clarifying time-limits for harvest and transport with today’s methods, the applicant should also research which harvest and storage conditions could possibly be improved, in order to increase the time of survival.  

The project proposal must examine the obstacles to the market introduction of new mussel products – pet food products based on small mussels.  

The project proposal must propose a strategy to overcome the barriers and offer solutions to reach the market and target group. The strategy should include a market overview of already existing pet food products made from mussels in Germany, Sweden and Denmark and an analysis of the different characteristics such as prices, packaging sizes, main product characteristics (e.g. canned wet food, mussels only as an additive, dry food, frozen food, barf, etc.). 

New products may also include the sale of goods and services derived from shellfish farming, such as nutrient extraction, improvement of water quality and biodiversity, and the use of shellfish to build biogenic reefs.  

The project proposal shall study consumer acceptance for mussel products, especially petfood products, by performing a research analysis of consumer acceptance for mussel products. The proposal should bring detailed characteristics of consumers and their needs regarding mussel-based pet products and provide a tailored strategy for increasing consumer acceptance in Sweden/Germany/Denmark. The strategy should cover analysis of what kind of products pet owners look for and what special characteristics (e.g. GAGs for joint health, product “X” makes shiny fur etc.) of mussel-based pet products would be desirable. 

The project proposal shall study the mussel products market landscape, customer preferences and positioning of mussel products. The proposal should also survey potential customers to gather data on customer preferences regarding the price of mussels’ products. The strategy should cover analysis of pricing models, market surveys and gathering consumer feedback. 

The project proposal shall propose a study of the certification to improve mussel production. This includes a list of standards and benefits for the identified certificates and provide criteria and compliance requirements for each certificate. Additionally, the study should provide relevant information concerning requirements to obtain the certification. The proposed study shall evaluate not only international certification systems, but also focus on regional alternatives. Moreover, it should conduct a gap analysis to determine the current state of mussel production processes in relation to the standards of the desired certifications. It needs to include the identification of areas which need improvement to meet the certification desirable requirements relevant to at least mussel farm in the following countries: Germany/Denmark/Sweden. 

The project proposal shall include a study for market goods and services from mussel farming, including sale of nutrient catch, sales of improved water quality, sales of improved quality of bathing water, sales and relaying of mussels for habitat restoration of biogenic reefs. The study should identify relevant market partners, important selling points, need of process guarantees and pricing of the product relevant to at least one mussel farm in these countries: Germany/Denmark/Sweden.