Mussel is a mollusc with a black shell very common in the Mediterranean Sea, that lives attached to the rocks to which it adheres with the byssus, a fibrous tissue produced by a gland also used for weaving.
Today a large part of the production comes from the Sea breeding using semi floating plants. One of the largest mussel nurseries in the Region is located off of Cattolica: its high quality production is equivalent to 3000 tons per year.