Towards sustainable mussel farming: innovative practices and perceptions of Italian operators

The Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector address challenges and opportunities in line with the European Green Deal and related strategies. A key priority is to reduce the environmental impact of aquaculture products by promoting the use of more sustainable technical and biological inputs under the call of the circular economy [1]. Mussel farming, one of the most important sub-sectors in Europe, is facing new challenges as it has been identified as a significant source of marine pollution [2]. Indeed, the sector extensively uses plastic materials for production and packaging [3, 4]. It is estimated that approximately 20 grams of plastic are used for each kilogram of mussels marketed [5]. Considering this, adopting biodegradable or recycled materials is a promising solution to reduce dependence on fossil-based plastics and improve industry waste management [6]. However, imple-menting these solutions is limited due to various obstacles [7, 8] that have not yet been adequately ex-plored. As part of the outcomes of the 'LIFE MUSCLES' project (LIFE20 ENV/IT/000570) [9], this study aims to investigate the economic feasibility of using biodegradable or recycled nets in Italian mussel farming. Specific objectives include (i) identifying the main barriers to adoption, (ii) exploring the perspectives of Italian mussel farmers, and (iii) offering policy recommendations in line with Eu-ropean strategies. The methodology involves interviews with Italian mussel farmers to identify the main cost of al-ternatives to conventional plastic nets. Furthermore, economic data are considered to assess the costs and benefits of implementing sustainable materials in the sector. The results show that, although farmers recognize the environmental benefits of alternative nets, significant barriers persist, such as high costs and doubts about long-term performance. In addition, the lack of institutional support and consumer acceptance uncertainty make the adoption process more complex. The implications of this study highlight the urgent need for institutional support to offset initial costs, a clear regulatory framework, and awareness-raising campaigns.