Blackshell Farm is a certified organic mussel farm based in Westport, Co. Mayo. We cultivate rope grown mussels in Clew Bay on the West coast of Ireland, and produce cotton mussel mesh, a biodegradable material that helps mussel growth.
Protecting the marine environment is very important to us, and we do everything to minimise our impact on Clew Bay and the areas in which we work. We operate a zero-waste policy across our work sites and use materials – such as floats - made from recycled plastics. Where possible, we source second-hand parts for our machines and infrastructure.
We recognise Clew Bay is a pristine natural resource and have developed sustainable growing methods and practices to protect this valuable environment for future generations. Our harvest methods mean that undersized mussels can be re-sown to reach full maturity. We do not use additives, treatments, fertilisers or pesticides on our organic mussels.
We are on a continuous drive for sustainability and are currently developing methods for more environmentally friendly production of mussel mesh. We are committed to reducing our diesel consumption on a consistent basis and have equipped our fleet with the most fuel-efficient engines possible. We are proud of our ability to produce a lot of protein for small amounts of diesel, producing 80 tonnes of mussels for every tonne of diesel consumed.
We have been awarded the Aquaculture, Environmental and Social Responsibility Award by BIM, Ireland's Seafood Development Agency.
For an overview of our mussel farm, including packing and harvesting techniques, please watch our video below.