There exists a large range of mussel species produced or fished around the world. The main species produced are the European mussels Mytiluss edulis, the Mediterranean mussels: Mytilus galloprovencialis, the New Zealand green mussel: Perna canaliculus, the Chilean pacific mussel: Mytilus chilensis. The majority of 1.8 million tonnes of mussels consumed around the world are farmed, with less than 10% of total stock supplied by fisheries. Europe is the world largest producer with an annual production of around 730 000 tones followed by China 680 000 T.
World mussel capture and production: Source FAO
| Country | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2004 |
| Europe | 620.1 | 593.0 | 623.8 | 735.5 | 732.8 |
| China | 128.8 | 495.9 | 415.2 | 534.5 | 683.2 |
| Thailand | 69.0 | 83.5 | 75.5 | 130.0 | 89.5 |
| New Zealand | 10.9 | 24.0 | 62.7 | 80.5 | 80.1 |
| Chile | 18.3 | 19.5 | 17.7 | 35.0 | 63.6 |
| Canada | 0.9 | 6.5 | 13.1 | 21.7 | 20.6 |
| Korea Rep | 58.0 | 30.8 | 82.0 | 18.6 | 19.0 |
| Philippines | 26.1 | 19.7 | 15.2 | 17.0 | 13.5 |
| USA | 15.8 | 17.9 | 13.6 | 9.0 | 11.0 |
| Peru | 4.7 | 16.5 | 11.2 | 13.2 | 10.4 |
| Turkey | 2.1 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 1.5 | 8.9 |
| Australia | 1.4 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 2.9 |
| Ex USSR | 4.9 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Others | 0.5 | 15.4 | 13.8 | 33.4 | 40.2 |
| Total | 961.5 | 1334.0 | 1353.0 | 1632.6 | 1775.8 |
Mytilus galloprovincialis
Mytilus edulis
Modiolus modiolus
Perna canaliculus
Mytilus chilensis
