Moules frites with a difference: Belgium cooks up reefs scheme to save beaches
by Daniel Boffey in Brussels from on (#2Y92T)
Mussels among materials tested in pilot project to see if small artificial reefs can protect beaches from North Sea storms
The humble mussel, that much-loved staple of Belgian cuisine, has been deployed by scientists in an innovative attempt to save the country's storm-battered beaches.
Small artificial reefs of mussels, algae and tube worms have been built off the Belgian coast to test whether eco-friendly barriers can protect Flemish beaches from storms brewing in the North Sea.