COMPLETED US Maine blue mussel - dredge/rake

This FIP is focused on the wild harvest of mussels in the state of Maine (USA). The goals of this project are to establish and increase collection of stock status data, and to determine objectives and key components for a management plan. This is a fishery that occurs in state waters, and is managed by the Department of Marine Resources in Maine. There are both wild and farmed mussel industries in Maine – this FIP is focused on the wild fishery, which includes harvesters targeting adult mussels to be sold into the marketplace directly, and harvesters targeting seed mussels to transplant to bottom aquaculture leases for farming purposes. Most of the fishery is executed with drag gear, and there is a small amount of hand raking that occurs. The work group includes members from both the wild and bottom aquaculture industries, in addition to processors, distributors, and a major retailer, who are all committed to the long-term sustainability of this fishery in Maine.