Find your Løgstørs mussels

Where to buy mussels in Løgstør

In Løgstør, you can buy both fresh mussels and mussels in jars and tins from a number of local retailers:

• SuperBrugsen, Limfjordsvej 17

• Netto, Limfjordsvej 1

• Jan Tex (Uno-X), Sønderport 23

• Kanalfogedens Køkken, Fischersgade 89

• Restaurant Kulgaarden, Kanalvejen 15

Gathering and handling blue mussels

Gathering your own blue mussels by the Limfjord can be a special experience, but it is important to be aware of food safety.

Mussels can contain algal toxins, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants. Before gathering mussels, you should therefore always check the latest information from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) on mussel monitoring and any warnings about harmful algae.

Advice when gathering your own mussels

Check the current conditions

Before setting out, check the latest mussel monitoring information from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. This includes information about the presence of harmful algae and algal toxins.

Check the water

If the water has remained clear for an extended period, there is a lower risk of harmful algae and therefore algal toxins in the mussels.

Avoid areas with a risk of contamination

Do not gather mussels near streams and wastewater outlets, harbours or urban areas. You should also avoid gathering mussels immediately after storms and flooding.

Check that the mussels are fresh

Fresh mussels should have a fresh smell of the sea. If a mussel is open before cooking, it should close when the shell is tapped lightly. Mussels that do not close should be discarded. Mussels that do not open during cooking should also be discarded.

Take care when cooking

To minimise the risk of illness caused by viruses and bacteria, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration recommends heating mussels to 100°C for one minute. Please note that heating does not remove algal toxins or chemical contaminants.

Always check the latest advice and mussel monitoring information from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration before gathering mussels.

Mussels from the Limfjord – fishing and farming

Blue mussels from the Limfjord can come either from fishing for wild mussels on the fjord bed or from mussel farming.

Traditional mussel fishing harvests blue mussels from natural populations on the fjord bed. The fishery is regulated, with rules governing, among other things, where fishing may take place and how much may be harvested.

Mussels can also be farmed in the water column. Here, they grow on lines and other structures, keeping them off the fjord bed. Mussel farming requires a separate permit and takes place in approved areas.

When you buy or eat blue mussels from the Limfjord, they may therefore come either from fishing natural populations or from mussel farming.

New quota for mussel fishing

The population of blue mussels in the Limfjord has declined significantly over a number of years. In 2026, DTU Aqua estimated the population at approximately 62,000 tonnes – the lowest level since monitoring began in 1993.

Against this background, the Danish Ministry of Environment has introduced an overall quota of 4,000 tonnes of blue mussels for the 2026/27 fishing season. The quota applies to fishing outside Natura 2000 areas, while fishing for blue mussels will not be permitted within Natura 2000 areas.

DTU Aqua also points out that several factors influence changes in the mussel population. Its analysis does not show a clear correlation between fishing in individual years and changes in the size of the population in the following year or the overall decline in the population. Natural fluctuations and predators such as starfish and shore crabs are among the factors that may affect its development.

Mussels farmed in the water column are produced differently from mussels fished from natural populations on the fjord bed and are therefore not subject to the fishing quota in the same way. Mussel farming is, however, regulated and requires a permit.

The history of mussel fishing

In Løgstør – known as the Mussel Town – you can experience mussels in many different ways, and naturally you will also find mussels on the menus of the town’s restaurants. Mussels have also provided inspiration for jewellery, art, festivals and other experiences.

It was by no means inevitable that mussels would become a popular delicacy and that Løgstør would become known as the Mussel Town. Well into the 20th century, mussels in the Limfjord area were not regarded as the delicacy we know today. Among other things, they were used as bait when other bait was unavailable.

Mussel fishing in the Limfjord developed from the oyster fishery, which was organised in 1850 through Limfjordsøsterskompagniet, a company that held a monopoly on the harvesting and processing of shellfish in the Limfjord.

During the First World War, mussel fishing began to increase significantly. Mussels were an inexpensive and nutritious food at a time of food shortages, and fishermen on the fjord began acquiring equipment for mussel fishing. However, a ban on mussel exports temporarily brought this development to a halt.

During the Second World War, the fishery gained momentum once again. Demand for mussels increased – particularly from Germany – and a new fishing industry developed. In the following years, mussel fishing increased significantly, and mussel-processing facilities appeared in several locations around the Limfjord.

By-products from the processing were also put to use. The mussels’ “beards” were processed into animal feed, while the shells were used, among other things, as material for road construction.

Today, mussels have become an important part of Løgstør’s story and identity. The town’s history, gastronomy and culture surrounding the Limfjord have all helped give Løgstør its nickname: the Mussel Town.

Sources and further information

• Information on the current mussel population and the quota for the 2026/27 fishing season: the Danish Ministry of Environment and DTU Aqua.

• Information on regulations for mussel farming: the Danish Agricultural and Fisheries Agency (Landbrugs- og Fiskeristyrelsen).

• Advice on gathering mussels, food safety, algal toxins and mussel monitoring: the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen).