Colruyt Group’s first mussel lines are located in the North Sea

The city of Nieuwpoort, the fishermen and the sailors had stopped the works in January. But last month the judge ruled that the Colruyt Group may continue with the construction of the Zeeboerderij. Then it started with the tests of the screw anchor installation and the first mussel lines.

Boat safety zone

The mussel lines are attached to a central rope to which the mussel seed can attach to grow into full-fledged mussels. A safety zone has been demarcated to prevent boats from becoming entangled in the lines. “To guarantee safety, a monitoring system is active that registers movements in the zone 24/7”, Colruyt Group said.

An official inauguration of Zeeboerderij Westdiep will follow – depending on the weather – this summer.

In the beginning there was a lot of protest from fishermen and sailors, among others. But according to Colruyt Group, the sea farm can be perfectly combined with other activities in the North Sea. “We are open to dialogue with all parties involved, because we understand that there are many questions and concerns about our sea farm. We continue to believe that there is room in our North Sea for an innovative sea farm as well as the age-old fishing craft and sailing industry.”

Why sea farm?

Colruyt Group is building a sea farm because the cultivation of mussels and oysters in the open sea is an extractive form of aquaculture. This means that the shellfish get their nutrients from the seawater and nothing is added to the ecosystem. A sea farm can also serve as a shelter for other marine life.

The company is aiming for 2023 to enjoy a full-fledged mussel season and thus offer Belgian mussels in stores for the first time.