There is an increasing demand for safely produced bivalve mollusks and seafood in the world and in Turkey. However, despite this increasing demand, unstable and unreliable (unhealthy) commercial fishing, increasing environmental pollution and bivalve production and consumption do not seem to increase. As a solution to this situation, the emphasis is given to bivalve culture studies (such as mussel farming) and their production. Black mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) is the most widely cultivated species in the world, and its production accounts for 95% of the cultural fishery worldwide. In our country, the amount of product obtained from mussel farming in 2015 was only 3 tons, but as of the end of that year, it has increased to 800 tons in 2018 as a result of the investments started in the islands region found at the Southern Marmara Sea. Therefore, in this study, the socio-economic contribution of mussel farms established in the islands region to the Southern Marmara Sea was investigated.

Bivalve mollusks (mussels, etc.) constitute an important livelihood of the people in the coastal countries, especially in the coastal regions. In the region where the research was carried out, the supply of products obtained from mussel farms to the market emerged as an economic and employment-enhancing investment. In addition to the sales revenues obtained from the products produced in mussel farms and packaging facilities (1 kg of mussels approximately 1 $), it employs about 100 people and a family of 4 people, it has a direct income gate of 400 people. This is an important investment tool for a region with a population of approximately 9.000. Besides, the production of the stuffed mussel, which is the most consumed form by our people, and the construction of tools and equipment and machinery to be used in aquaculture, means the indirect income as an increase in the supply-demand balance.