Research Document - 1999/187

A Review of California Mussel (Mytilus californianus) Fisheries Biology and Fisheries Programs.

By D. Schmidt

Abstract

This paper is a literature review of all available and relevant information on past and present data concerning the California mussel (Mytilus californianus) for the purposes of establishing a fishery on M. californianus. A group located on North Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC), the Vancouver Island Shellfish Cooperative (VISCO), has expressed an interest in starting a commercial harvest on California mussels for the purpose of creating jobs in the winter months (G. Caumanus, VISCO, pers. comm.). Market information indicates that there is a demand for new mussel fisheries as existing mussel fisheries cannot supply the increasing demand for mussels (Krause 1997).

In the development of new fisheries, Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has developed a new protocol to prevent damaging the species in question. Perry (1996) set out this protocol in detail describing the required process. Three phases or main steps were identified in Perry (1996). This paper is the first phase (Phase 0) in the development of a new fishery. A review of all pertinent information including biological and ecological data as well as all related fishery records is the main purpose of the Phase 0 paper. Missing or lacking information is identified and recommendations for the collection of this data are given. Phase 1, the next step, involves the collection of this data and any other data that will help biologists and managers to decide whether the fishery could be feasible. The final phase, Phase 2, is an actual pilot harvesting project on a commercial scale to evaluate the effectiveness of the decisions and management plans made.

All pertinent information on California mussels has been collected, including relevant information on closely related species. Information that is lacking has been identified and will be filled in through the second phase (phase 1), which involves collection of data in the field through various biological assessments.

As no regulated California mussel fishery exists in Canada, the objectives of this paper are:

1. To complete a literature review of all available information on the biology, behavior and ecology of M. californianus;
2. To gather relevant data on closely related species to help put perspective on missing M. californianus information where possible;
3. To review information on past and present M. californianus fisheries outside of Canada;
4. To review information on unregulated fisheries inside of Canada;
5. To provide recommendations to managers to help decide whether an M. californianus fishery would be possible in British Columbia.

Complete document (PDF, 410 KB)

Accessibility Notice

This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.