Mussels safe to eat?

[Mr.X]

On a recent trip to Long Island, New York, I noticed mussels growing on the jettys there. I wondered if they were safe to eat. I was told by locals that they never ate them, but used them for fish bait. I still wonder, though.

Not a very good idea. Having seen some of these mussels (they are probably the Ribbed variety - Modiolus ?) they are known pesticide accumulators. Long Island has a well known history regarding higher incidences of cancer too. I know divers do collect the Blue variety far offshore though. Mr. X - Wants to own a fantasy seafood restaurant where the fruit-de-mer sparkles on your plate!

 

[tiburon72157]

the ones in jersey are sooo much better!

 

[redacted]

I don't understand. Are these mussels not growing on the cleaner (seaward) side of the same waters where clams (and further south oysters) are commercially and privately harvested. And the mussels should be up in the flow as opposed to most other shellfish which live in the bottom where the heavy pollutants settle. Is the problem that mussels are more efficient collectors of the lighter pollutants found in their environments. OTOH, although I grew up in NJ with an Italian sounding name, I don't remember eating mussels until I visited Brussels. I've been wondering the same about mussels living on the oil platforms off the TX coast.

 

[Mr.X]

I don't understand. Are these mussels not growing on the cleaner (seaward) side of the same waters where clams (and further south oysters) are commercially and privately harvested. And the mussels should be up in the flow as opposed to most other shellfish which live in the bottom where the heavy pollutants settle. Is the problem that mussels are more efficient collectors of the lighter pollutants found in their environments. OTOH, although I grew up in NJ with an Italian sounding name, I don't remember eating mussels until I visited Brussels. I've been wondering the same about mussels living on the oil platforms off the TX coast.

The original thread about mussels on jetties did not state an exact location, nor species of mussel. If edible mussels were growing where run-off was minimal I might consider collecting some if I asked the locals first. However, I tend to like to collect any edible seafood far offshore just for my own piece of mind.

As per Belgian and European mussels - darn those guys are tasty...plus they even shell them for you sometimes!!!

 

[dpbishop]

Hmmm... isn't that backwards? (only eat 'em in months with an R in it)
Warmer months have the oysters spawning, not to mention algae blooms that take place in the warmer months.

Oops. Your're right. (the memory is the first thing to go) In California you are not allowed to tAke mussels during the summer.

 

[francousteau]

Jean-Michel Cousteau once told me . . .

Name dropper