The New Zealand greenshell mussel industry operates within some of the strictest quality standards in the world Both the mussels and seawater around the farms are tested for biotoxins, bacteria, and heavy metals. The water quality is constantly monitored with tests carried out to the standards set by the U.S Food and Drug Administration, European Union, and NZ Food Safety Authority. The standards are in place to meet the increasing global demand for safe and healthy seafood products. The Resource Management Act 1991 and Fisheries Act 1996 have been put in place by the New Zealand government to mitigate the environmental effects of aquaculture in New Zealand. New Zealand’s high aquaculture standards have been recognized by the International Conservation Organisation Blue Ocean Institute, which ranked New Zealand greenshell mussels as one of the top two ‘eco-friendly seafoods’ in the world.