Mussel Diving in Western PA: Using Scuba Diving as a Tool to Survey Freshwater Mussels
Surely, you have heard of or maybe even enjoyed with some hot sauce while ocean-side, saltwater clams and mussels, but have you ever heard of freshwater mussels? As it turns out, you may have bypassed these living, filtering beauties while diving around Western PA and never had known!
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Though they go largely unnoticed, we owe many thanks to freshwater mussels. Freshwater mussels clean water by filtering bacteria, plankton, and sediment from our rivers and streams while also stabilizing the river and stream bottoms. Pennsylvania once supported 67 species of freshwater mussels, but due to pollution, the construction of dams, and dredging, freshwater mussels are the most imperiled group of organisms. In fact, many of Pennsylvania’s freshwater mussel species are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and many species are listed, in the U.S., as Federally and State Endangered or Threatened. Boost your awareness about freshwater mussels and see a few of Pennsylvania’s freshwater mussel species during a night learning! Also, learn how local State agencies and other groups conduct mussel surveys in local rivers and streams!