On Belgium's national holiday, Colruyt, a leading supermarket chain, proudly presented its first mussel harvest from the Westdiep sea farm in the Belgian North Sea. This achievement marks a

significant milestone, as Belgium, known for its love of mussels, now has its own locally harvested produce. Vincent Van Quickenborne, the federal minister for the North Sea, expressed enthusiasm about the development.

The Westdiep sea farm, established a year and a half ago off the coast of Nieuwpoort and Koksijde in West Flanders province, is dedicated to promoting local and sustainable food production. Mussels are cultivated on floating lines in the sea, allowing them to grow faster and ensuring efficient use of space. Stefan Goethaert, Colruyt's newly appointed CEO, explained that the mussels are ready for consumption after just one and a half years, compared to the three to four years required for traditional bottom-culture mussels. Moreover, the floating lines foster biodiversity by providing shelter for fish and other marine life without damaging the seabed during harvesting.

Colruyt aims to harvest approximately 15 tonnes of mussels annually, and these fresh mussels will be available for purchase in their luxury supermarket branches known as Cru. During a press event, attendees had the opportunity to taste the first harvest, while passers-by could also enjoy sampling the first Belgian mussels.

Although the sea farm initiative is a step forward for the "blue economy," it faced opposition from the city council, fishermen, and the marina during its planning stages. Nonetheless, Colruyt's commitment to local and sustainable food production offers a promising future for the Belgian North Sea region. Photo by Mcnulty6*, Wikimedia commons.