When we traditionally think of mussels, we picture them nestled in rocky crevices along the beach. Mussels can also form dense beds on mudflats. For years now, mussel beds have been moving further offshore from the intertidal zone, the area between low and high tide, to the subtidal zone, which is below low tide and rarely exposed. This shift has made mussels increasingly difficult to find.

We need your help spotting mussels intertidal and subtidal zones. Once we have an idea where the beds might be located, our scientists will head out in the boat to gather detailed information on the mussel populations. Using active acoustics, they will map subtidal mussel beds by sending sound waves to the ocean floor and measuring the echoes. Acoustic monitoring is a time intensive process. You can help by telling us where to go!