Blue mussels are the sewage treatment plants of the Baltic Sea. A fully-grown mussel can filter up to two litres of sea water per hour – an extraordinary achievement!
The mussels grow side by side – their sticky byssus threads ensuring a secure hold.
As the mussel beds form they offer highly structured habitats that are home to 50 other species. So, mussel beds create vital and varied reefs and are strictly protected here – despite the frequent threat of pollution, fishing and sediment removal.
Baltic Sea LIFE - DISCOVER.UNDERSTAND.PROTECT.