In good water conditions, mussels can live from 15 to over 50 years. Some individuals have been known to exceed 100 years of age. The creation of dams, levies, channels and the practice of dredging has degraded the habitats of many species in West Virginia. These practices often increase siltation which may smother mussels, choke out their food sources, or harm their host fish. Also, because they are long-lived, mussels are vulnerable to toxins which they can accumulate over a number of years.
Mussels are extremely vulnerable because of their dependence on fish as larval hosts.
Any alteration that affects their host fish, whether detrimental to adult mussels or not, can interfere with their reproductive cycles, and cause population declines. The button industry that once thrived in St. Marys exacted a heavy toll on the thicker-shelled mussels. Mussels are still collected in some states for their role in culturing pearls. Possession of mussels is now illegal in West Virginia, and a permit is required to collect for scientific purposes. These small, non-native bivalves are not dependent on fish hosts, and as a result, can spread extremely quickly.