History, Status, and Future of Oyster Culture in France

Abstract

The history of French oyster culture consists of a succession of developmental phases using different species, followed by collapses caused by diseases. The indigenous species Ostrea edulis was replaced first with Crassostrea angulata, then C. gigas. France is now the top producer and consumer of oysters in Europe, producing around 120,000 t of the cupped oyster C. gigas annually, and an additional 1500 t of the flat oyster O. edulis. Cupped oysters are produced all along the French coast from natural and hatchery spat. Various structures are used to collect spat from the wild. After a growing-on period, oysters are cultivated by three main methods: (1) on-bottom culture in the intertidal zone or in deep water, (2) off-bottom culture in plastic mesh bags in the intertidal zone, or (3) suspended culture on ropes in the open sea. The main recent development is the increasing use of hatchery oyster spat, especially triploids. Almost all oyster production is sold fresh and eaten raw straight from the shell. There is marked seasonality in sales, with the majority being made during Christmas and New Year. Abundant production and the lack of market organization induce strong competition among the production areas, causing prices to fall. Oyster farmers have developed strategies of sales promotion and regional quality labeling to overcome this difficulty. There are numerous production hazards, including environmental crises (microbiological pollution), unexplained mortality, and overstocking, and recent problems with toxic algae have disrupted oyster sales. However, oyster culture has many assets, including a coastal environment offering favorable sites for mollusc growth and reproduction. Oysters have been consumed in France since ancient times, and their culture is now well established with a concession system that favors small family firms. There is a young, well-educated farmer population, with technical expertise and savoir faire. Careful seawater quality monitoring ensures good consumer protection, and research is making innovative contributions (selection and polyploids). These points and opportunities for market expansion should bolster this industry's future, although the problem of toxic algae, probably linked to global warming and anthropogenic factors, and the threat of new diseases, pose vital questions for future research.

History, status and future of Australia’s native Sydney rock oyster industry

“…For example, the native flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) industries in France and Britain experienced a similar extend in the depletion of natural stocks which resulted in regulation of the industry at around 1850 (Buestel et al 2009;Humphreys et al 2014). The oyster industries in France and Britain experienced a major crises around 1920 when sudden mortalities in the native flat oyster occurred which resulted in a significant loss in cultivated stocks.…”

“…The oyster industries in France and Britain experienced a major crises around 1920 when sudden mortalities in the native flat oyster occurred which resulted in a significant loss in cultivated stocks. Further diseases and continued overexploitation of natural stocks severely affected the productive capacity of this native oyster species (Buestel et al 2009;Humphreys et al 2014). The industries in France and Britain responded to these crises by introducing the Pacific oyster in order to keep the oyster industry economically viable (Buestel et al 2009;Humphreys et al 2014).…”

“…In fact, the Pacific oyster has been reported to have naturalised on the southern coast of Britain due to warming waters (Humphreys et al 2014). Despite numerous efforts to assist the recovery of the native flat oyster industry in France, its production volume remains very low (Buestel et al 2009). …”

The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. II. Potential facultatively parasitic anamorphic ascomycetes can cause disease in corals and molluscs

“…Alagarswami and Qasim 1973; Achuthankutty et al 1979; Buestel et al 2009). Fisheries quickly changed to mariculture in many countries, when wild stocks of fish became depleted (e.g.…”

“…Responding to the demand, dwindling native cultures were sometimes replaced with similar species introduced from other countries – with varying success (e.g. Wolff et al 2002; Buestel et al 2009; Bromley et al 2016). …”