Harvesting Mussels
At between 12-14 months of age, our farmed mussels are ready to harvest. naturally we start harvesting those mussels which were socked up first, as they will be the biggest in size and weight. Once the size of each mussel reaches 6 to 7 centimeters, they are considered ready for market.
Above - Our mussel harvest barge, the "Moule Mariner" alongside a mussel raft in Penn Cove, with snow covered Mt. Baker looming in the background.
Harvesting begins early on each Sunday thru Thursday morning, every week of the year. Our harvest barge, the "Moule Mariner", goes out and with a crew of eight to ten, begins each day's harvest right at the mussel raft in Penn Cove.
Left - A fully grown mussel sock coming up the conveyor during a harvest day.
Orders for our products are taken each day at our office on the north side of the cove, and then radioed out to the harvest crew, and that is what will be harvested that day. Once pulled onto the barge, the mussels are mechanically washed, graded, then weighed and bagged up in the amount of that day's order.
At the end of the day, the barge heads to the shore where the product is off loaded into our refrigerated delivery trucks. the trucks leave at 3:00 each morning for the Seattle area market place, restaurants and airport.
Right - Inspecting mussels before they are weighed and packed.
Left - Offloading a tote with bags of mussels.
This process takes place regularly in order that our customers may always have the freshest of shellfish on hand. Products delivered not only include our mussels, but also Manila Clams and a full line of oysters all fresh from the water.
Our shellfish products may be found on most seafood restaurant menus by name. If you cannot find our products name on your favorite restaurant menu, bring it up with the chef, or your best seafood wholesaler so that he too will know where to get the best in Northwest shellfish.