Control of suspension feeding bivalve production by current speed

Growth experiments confirm that production by a bed of blue mussels(Mytilus edulis) may be controlled by tidal current speed through its effect on seston supply. The mechanism of this effect involves a downstream seston depletion and is thus applicable only to populations of mussels. Individual physiological responses by mussels, such as increased filtration, ingestion and assimilation rates at higher current speeds, are not involved in the enhanced bivalve production observed.