Just weeks after the Xynthia windstorm ravaged oyster farms in one of France’s major shellfish-farming regions, the country’s agriculture and fisheries ministry announced this week that sales of mussels, oysters and other shellfish hailing from the Charente Maritime and Bay of Aiguillon are to be removed from the marketplace.
Tests showed that the area’s mussels were contaminated with amnesic shellfish poison (ASP). “Collection, transportation and commercialization of all shellfish” from the area is prohibited until further notice, warned the ministry.
This week’s ban could be the result of the Xynthia storm in late February, which may have impacted the marine ecosystem in Charente Maritime. The storm caused significant damage to Charente oyster producers. French Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Bruno Le Maire has set aside EUR 20 million (USD 27 million) in aid to accelerate the rebuilding of oyster farms.
Shellfish farming is big business in France, a country that consumes more oysters (125,000 metric tons) than any other European Union nation. In 2008-09, French producers churned out 128,00 metric tons of oysters and more than 60,000 metric tons of mussels.
But, in 2009, the country’s oyster industry withstood several harvesting bans on key oyster grounds after failing safety “mouse” tests. Compounding the situation, in recent years waves of juvenile oysters along France’s coast have succumb to disease, further threatening sales for the country’s oyster industry.
