MUSSEL FARMING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9215, 21 April 1908, Page 2

MUSSEL FARMING.

CURIOUS DUTCH INDUSTRY. j If some lover of statistics were to sot himself the task of calculating how many thousands-- nay, millions— of molluscs of the well-known common sea | mussel type are brought annually from the depths of the sea to the table, the resulting figure would cause no little astonishment among those who had heretofore regarded this bivalve shellfish somewhat contemptuously on account of its insignificant, and to many uninviting, appearance, and, above all, on account of the danger that lurks within the innocent-looking shell, owing to the latter containing polluted water or poisonous waste products (says a writer in a London magazine). la spite of this deep-rooted prejudice on the part of a vast army of epicurei an. diners, the mussel can claim to be the most-sought-after sea animal, if we may gauge its popularity by the numbers sold and consumed. Its übiquitousness in all European seas, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic, is ,of course, one of tne foremost causes of its enjoying a worldwide reputation, but its chief attraction lies not in the quantity procurable, but in the quality of the dainty morsel as an article of food when the fear of poisoning is eliminated. The best idea of its popularity as an article of diet can be gathered from the fact that 8- small country such as Belgium finds it necessary to import nearly 40,000cwt of the cherished bivalve every year in order to satisfy the enormous demand for this toothsome delicacy. With us, too, the " poor man's oyster " (as the mussel is frequently called) is held in much regard as an article of food, and its importance will increase as its admirers and consumers gain proficiency in the mystery of converting, by a rational system of culture, a creature practically worthless in ite normal state into a dainty delicacy for the table, and as the difficulties of transporting the sensitive- animal from its natural surroundings to the remote corners ~f the globe are overcome. The development of the common mussel, from the moment of its capture until its arrival at that stage of maturity which ensures it a welcome into every kitchen, furnishes material for one of tho most interesting chapters on modern pisciculture. Let us betake ourselves in imagination to one of the most important and productive of the beds which supply the greater part of Northern Europe. That is situated at a spot on the coast of Holland, but a few miles distant from the Belgian frontier, where the western outlet of the River Scheldt pours itself into the sea and forms a series of natural coves. Here beneficent Nature has rendered a service to man by preparing a natural rearingplace which human hands could scarcely have constructed, even by a great expenditure of time and labour. We will not anticipate, however, but begin our journey at the point at which human skill is first required in taking the mussel from its natural surroundings, where, strange as it may seem, it cannot flourish sufficiently to attain a marketable size and value. In the autumn months srrifcll boats can be seen anchored at low tide beside the piers which project into tho sea from most of the Belgian ports, their occupants busily engaged with spades in dislodging the mussels from the piles of the jetty. A closer inspection makes it apparent to the uninitiated that this procedure is not undertaken with the object of freeing the pier from v the tenacious grasp of an uninvited intruder, but to secure the animals themselves. In short, the mussel harvest is in full swing. By means of their silken " byssi," or bunches of thread exuding from the mollusc, the little creatures have enchained themselves securely to their stronghold, forcing each other into such narrow quarters that the thick stratum will barely yield to the force of the spade; yet the mussels must be dislodged, for if left in this state of conglomeration on entirely unfavourable ground they are so much hindered in the process of growth and development that, as an article of food, they would be considered almost worthless. The mussel crop obtained from the Belgian piers varies from year to year. In some seasons almost every inch of the wood exposed to view between high and low water marks is covered with a well-nigh impenetrable black layer of these shellfish, and the Dutch boats are kept busy journeying backwards and forwards from one country to the other, but bad seasons with scanty supplies frequently follow prosperous harvests. Thus in 1905 enormous quantities were collected and shipped to the Dutch beds, while the season of 1906 was a totalfailure. To the representatives of the Dutch rearers belongs the exclusive right of collecting the Belgian pier mussels from their self-elected quarters — a monopoly for which some of the towns claim £S0 yearly. When the mussels, bunched together by the hundred, fill the little boats of the harvesters to their utmost capacity, tho precious load is transferred to the bigger sailing vessels lying in the harbour, where one^of the men can be seen occupied in separating all worthless matter from the mussels and throwing ib overboard. When, after a few days' sojourn in Belgian waters, the quaintly-shaped Dutch vessel has every^ available space filled with the living freight, the fishermen set sail and quickly pursue their way along the Belgian and Dutch coast until the river mouths of their own land are reached, when the valuable charge is again entrusted to the deep, this time in sheltered inlets. A certain muddinesa of the bed, together with a mixture of salt and fresh water as obtained at the mouth of a river, are important points to be noted, and these conditions are absolutely necessary to ensure j|ie well-being of the j'oung mussels. Let us now inspect more closely the working of the mussel farms at Phillippine, one where I obtained an insight into the methods of the mussel cultivator. At. low tide the greater part of the mussels can bo seen spread out in countless thousands on tho river bed. Long branches stuck into the ground at intervals and protruding out of the wator when tho tide is high, indicate tho situation of each nursery, and the respective owners are guided by these sign-posts when gathering in their mussels with the aid of the peculiar rake-nets that enable the occupants of the boats to seize their prey when hidden from view by the water. Not till the rising tide sweeps over the beds can tho fishing fleet, bont on procuring the necessary supply for the day's sale, go forth from the little harbour, situated some miles inland, all the fishing in the nurseries being done from the boat when tho state of the tide make 3 it practicable. Tinder favourable conditions a year and a half is sufficient time for * tho mussels to remain in their new home, but sometimes an additional half year or more must bo allowed before they have attained their full growth and are ready to be raked up from their restingplace. Then, after undergoing a careful washing, they are packed in sacks and sent to different parts of Northern Euro»e.