The Taylor Shellfish team shares how healthy mussels directly reflect healthy water

written by Corinne Whiting | photography by Taylor Shellfish Farms

Most seafood aficionados covet the flavors of Pacific Northwest mussels, but not everyone knows the process of harvesting these local treasures. Taylor Shellfish mussel farm director Gordon King has been growing these products for more than forty years, and says he’s still proud of shellfish aquaculture. He explains that Taylor has been growing mussels in the Puget Sound since the early 1990s, and claims they could move a farm out within one to two days. “Within a year you would not be able to identify where the farm had been,” he said. “Our mussel farm has produced tens of millions of pounds of beautiful, healthy food in those three decades, which we have sold onto wholesalers, distributors, retailers and restaurants.”

Taylor’s smallest farm in Totten Inlet spans 2 acres, and each year they sell 360,000 pounds of mussels from it. King deems this feat “unbelievable productivity compared to most other types of farming.”

“The production of those mussels has provided a decent living to all the people involved through the chain from hatchery to consumption,” King said, “and with continued care for our waters, this work can sustain livelihoods for generations to come.”

Taylor Shellfish Farms is a fifth-generation, family-run company that started in the late 1800s. Jada Brown, marketing manager for Taylor and Ekone Tinned Seafood, also happens to be a member of the fifth generation of the Taylor family. What began as a small-scale Olympia oyster farming company, launched by her greatgreat-grandfather, has evolved into the largest shellfish producer in the United States.

Since Totten Inlet, where Taylor’s mussels are grown, offers pristine, cold, plankton-rich water, the mussels gain their signature flavor, described by Brown as “plump, meaty and naturally sweet with a clean, briny and umami finish.” She believes the inlet’s tidal exchange and depth create ideal growing conditions, which you can truly taste in their products.

Today Taylor Shellfish is still family-owned and deeply rooted in sustainable aquaculture. “We manage everything tide-to-table: hatcheries, nurseries, farms, processing, distributors and restaurants,” Brown said.

Over the years, their company has expanded its product mix to include not only oysters but also Manila clams, Totten Inlet mussels and geoduck. They also have their own smokehouse and cannery for a ready-to-eat, tinned line of seafood under Ekone Tinned Seafood (whose website offers a store locator for where to pick up these tasty goods).

Brown breaks down the harvesting process, which begins with mussels growing on long ropes that hang from floating rafts in nutrient-rich waters. During roughly a year, they naturally attach, grow and feed by filtering plankton from the sea. Once they reach market size, the ropes are lifted from the water, and the clusters are stripped, brought to the processing facility, cleaned and sorted for packing. Harvesting typically happens year-round, though growth rates and timing can shift slightly with changes in water temperature and plankton bloom cycles. “Late spring through early fall are generally the most active harvest months as the mussels are at their absolute peak!” she said. At Taylor, they harvest five days a week, and the mussels are delivered to the processing plant Sunday through Thursday.

Of course this work comes along with its own set of challenges, too. “Mussels thrive in dynamic environments, which means farmers work through wind, weather and tides to maintain rafts and monitor gear,” Brown explained. “Storms, biofouling (like seaweed or barnacles on ropes) and fluctuating water temperatures can all affect growth and yields.”

Yet one of the biggest rewards comes from seeing how healthy mussels are a direct reflection of healthy water. Brown gets a real sense of pride from growing a product that improves the ecosystem. “Mussel farming stands out as one of the most environmentally sustainable forms of food production,” she said. “Unlike many land-based agriculture, mussels require no fertilizers, pesticides or feed inputs to grow. They filter nutrients directly from the water column, improving water quality and supporting healthy marine ecosystems. With a low carbon footprint, minimal habitat disruption and no need for external feed, mussel farming represents a model for regenerative food production in the face of climate change challenges.”

Taylor’s mussels now can be enjoyed far and wide—like at their oyster bars, of which there are three in the Seattle area and one in Bow.

One of Brown’s favorite ways to enjoy mussels comes simply steamed in a red curry broth, alongside toasted, crusty sourdough bread. And for diehard loyalists like King, it seems that savoring this item never grows tiresome. “Of course our mussels are unique, but then most seafood is delicious and a great, healthy option when kept fresh and in good condition!” he said. “I have eaten mussels from all over the world and ours are equal to the best. After forty years growing mussels, I still enjoy eating them.”