HARVESTING

    Harvesting the mussels for sale is done in the same way as previously explained for re-tubing.

    The ropes laden with mussels are pulled up the access ramp and the mussels are detached from the rope by device 3. This rope, which has been removed from the line by loosening the slip knot, will be fastened to the line again and will return to the sea as if it were laden with mussels. Now it is ready for use either as a seed collector or for introducing seed into the culture again.

    It is best to prepare mussels for sale on land or on a rig at sea otherwise there is not enough room to store what has been harvested on board and the vessel would be overloaded with the machinery required to prepare it. So, as mentioned above, de-clumping, washing and packing should be carried out on land or on a rig using the de-clumping machine and grading table.

    By keeping the vessel nearby, we can use it for connecting the hoses with which to work the machinery. If the vessel is big enough to carry out these tasks on board, there is no doubt that the whole process would not only be quicker, but also, more convenient.