When we traditionally think of mussels, we picture them nestled in rocky crevices along the beach. Mussels can form dense beds on mudflats, although that number is dwindling and we don’t know why. For years now, mussel beds have been moving further offshore from the intertidal zone to the subtidal zone and mussel beds are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

The intertidal zone is the area where the ocean meets the land between high and low tides. The subtidal zone is below mean low tide and is rarely exposed.

We need your help to understand where mussel beds are located in the intertidal and subtidal zones. Once we have an idea where the beds might be located, our scientists will head out to gather detailed information on the mussel populations, using active acoustics to quantify different bottom types by sending sound waves to the ocean floor and measuring the echoes. In order to maximize time and effort we need your help to tell us where to go.