Instrument: Mussel Pot

The mussel pot is a 12-quart aluminium-clad stainless steel pot with a twistable handle connected to a Kevlar bag insert. It is used to sample mussel beds and associated communities. The pot is deployed over the select mussel patch using the submersible or ROV manipulator, then collects the enclosed assemblage by cinching the Kevlar bag closed by turning the handle. This method allows for quantitative analysis of deep-sea mussel bed communities.