Kush Shellfish is Ireland's first organic shellfish producer.
Ireland is a pioneer in organic mussel production following the EU standard for organic aquaculture. Irish mussels certified to the European organic mussel standard are governed by the EU Commission Regulation 710/2009.
Our natural hatchery is in a Special Area of Conservation and this ensures that our shellfish are protected from pollutants found in many other marine environments and offers the best shellfish-growing conditions. Our site is 100% disease-free. All our rope mussels are monitored as part of the National Biotoxin Monitoring programme from the Marine Institute of Ireland.
Irish organic rope mussels are grown on ropes that are suspended on longlines. They are constantly under water and can therefore feed permanently. Rope mussels can be distinguished by their cleanliness, the bluish lightly yellow shell colour, their delicate taste and their high meat content.
As mussels access their feed naturally from the marine environment, the organic requirements are centred on environmentally-friendly management practises. Environmentally-friendly Management Practises
- A sustainable management plan following the principles of organic production.
- Appropriate waste management planning
- Waste reduction, reuse and recyling. Progressively working towards the elimination of non-recyclable materials.
- The standard does not permit the use of plastic mesh.
- Responsible sourcing of seed from sustainable stock
- Respect for nature and biodiversity
- To demonstrate an awareness of and respect for protected areas and their desinated features.
- Removal of bio-fouling only by hand of physical means.
- Energy conservation and the objective of using a renewable energy provider.
The environmental aspects of operations include:
- The prevention and management of spills, taints and odours with respect to chemical purchase and usage.
- Visual, noise and odour impact reduction and protection from and management of oil contamination.
- All floats are grey to minimise visual impact apart from those necessary for navigational purposes.
Our production techniques only use:
- Recyclable ropes
- Biodegradable oils
Kush Shellfish is the only shellfish company worldwide to hold all the following certifications:
- Naturland
- Biosuisse
- I.O.A (Irish Organic Association)
- Origin Green
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