One hundred twenty thousand green mussel, Perna viridis Linne spats ranging in size from 15 to 21 mm in length were collected at Sapian Bay, Capiz. They were transplanted in Cahas Bay, Ajuy municipality, Iloilo Province, Philippines and suspended from a raft using four different types of substrates, namely: Abaca or Manila rope (Musa textilis), cabo negro (Arenga saccharifera), sasa or nipa (Nipa fruticans) and polypropylene blue rope. Five stocking densities: 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mussels per meter rope were evaluated. The experiment was conducted from January 8 to April 23, 1978. Growth rate, recovery, optimum stocking density, optimum water depth and rope durability were determined.
Results show the feasibility of farming mussels in areas without natural spatfall by spat transplantation. For a 12 mm diameter rope, a stocking density of 200 to 300 mussels per meter rope gave a standardized production of 0.66 kg, per 100 mussels stocked, recovery rate of 52.7 to 54.42 per cent and a growth rate of 9.8 mm per month in 100 days culture period. Marketable size mussels over 50 mm in length with condition index of 47 per cent were obtained whicn compared favorably with those from natural spawning grounds.