Hobby cultivators in Helsingborg will soon also be able to harvest mussels from their sea allotments. By summer, this KIMO member municipality hopes to be able to open sea allotments for blue mussels in Oceanhamnen. And if the results turn out well, it could lead to more sea allotments being established along the Helsingborg coast in the future.
As an allotment owner in Helsingborg, you have long been able to grow your own fruit and vegetables. Now the city is taking those ideas a step further and testing a sea allotment for the cultivation of blue mussels in Oceanhamnen. The city will be responsible for the platform and the residents for the cultivation via an allotment association.
The aim of the cultivation is to bring the inhabitants closer to the sea and increase awareness of the animals and plants that live there. The inspiration comes from Denmark, where similar ventures have been very successful.
There have also been closely related projects in Sweden, above all on the west coast. But unlike those projects, the goal of the sea allotments in Oceanhamnen is to test whether the mussels can be grown for eating and not just used for research purposes.
There are good conditions for growing blue mussels in the harbour, as the water is clean and has good circulation. The cultivation of blue mussels is one of the most sustainable sources of animal protein because they absorb nutrients directly from the sea.
In many parts of the world, the urbanization of coastal areas has been good for trade and economic development, but often at the expense of marine habitats. Therefore, today there is a lack of biodiversity and life in many coastal areas,
says Henrik Frindberg, environmental director in the city of Helsingborg and continues:
It is therefore gratifying that we can now offer the citizens of Helsingborg the opportunity to explore the marine environment up close and at the same time contribute to marine sustainability work.
In 2022, the environmental administration ran the innovation project “A green area in the sea”, where a reef was created with the help of boulders. Along the quaysides, “living sea walls” were built for plants and animals, and the sea allotments are now another way to make residents aware of the importance of a balanced sea.
Through the establishment of the sea allotments, we want to promote biological diversity in the harbour and increase the residents’ commitment to the marine environment. If the project goes well, we can see further allotments along the coast in the future
says Carl Baden, marine biologist and project manager in the city of Helsingborg.
The city is now putting out a call for residents who are interested in running or want to know more about the sea colony. An information meeting will take place in the Helsingborg room on March 1, where those interested can learn more about sea farms and what opportunities there are to get involved. Marine biologists from the city will be present as well as representatives from the Danish project Havhøst to talk about their experiences with sea farming.
Contact details for interested residents are available here.