Biofouling and mussel growth from mussels deployed in Great Lakes embayments (2013-2016)

Many taxa of North American unionid mussels are imperiled due to biofouling by invasive dreissenid mussels. Here, we report on biofouling rates of unionid mussels suspended in cages during the growing season in nearshore embayments in Lake Erie (2013-2016), Lake Michigan (Green Bay 2016, Grand Traverse Bay 2015) and Lake Huron (Saginaw Bay 2015). Mussels were deployed in early summer (late May or early June) and retrieved in late summer or fall (late August or early September). Wet weights were collected from mussels before and after removal of biofouling taxa (primarily dreissenid mussels).