C ' is important to diversify geographically

The tractor file at a good pace on the beach, in the direction of long superstructure which lie on the foreshore. The sky is low and the sea further. A tangle of girders of wood stands on sandy ochre, like a giant table, select greenish algae that dangle in the wind. It is the terroir of Marc Vivier, oyster to Asnelles, in Calvados, since 1996, when the State decided to create a new Oyster site in France. This Caennais started with a park of 2 hectares, or 25 more than the average size of farms of the Arcachon basin. Today, it operates 8 hectares, who have, over the years, acquired adjoining plots and others at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue (Manche). "C ' is important to diversify geographically." "This is the best parade in pépin," explains Marc Vivier.

"Glitch": the term reflects the concern that hangs permanently in the profession. Even if the oysters ahead, this year, excellent and well fleshy, the future of oyster culture is bleak. The reason Youth Crassostrea gigas, i.e. oysters introduced in France in 1968 and which represent 95 of the oysters in the world, experience an unprecedented mortality rate. An outbreak that has rolled Oyster production flat there twenty years. It fell from 20,000 tonnes in 1980 to 1,500 tonnes today.

Poorly identified causes

Of the Mediterranean to the North Sea and the rest of Europe, all of the production of oysters is seriously affected since summer 2008. "The phenomenon is not new." Been for years that the spat (oyster larvae) is fragile without that it has defined the exact causes of the problem. "But it took a catastrophic magnitude in two years," said Goulven Brest, President of the national Committee of the shellfish. "Now, the juvenile mortality rate reached 70 ", continued the professional manager, Oyster in Bay of Morlaix. A "glitch" confirmed by researchers at the Ifremer. "It's a ten years working on oyster." Herpes Ostreid virus (OsHV), specific to oyster, was identified as early as 1992. But it is not only implicated. "The phenomenon is multifactorial, hence the difficulty in finding a solution", explains Maurice Heral, Director of foresight and strategy at the Institute. Scientists have identified nearly 70 factors at the origin of this mortality, including the presence of the virus OsHV-1, warming of the water and too mild winters.

"Home, 80 of the juvenile population died between mid-June and mid-August 2008, and this summer, it was barely less", confirms Marc Vivier, who notes that the carnage has also "affected 40 of the oysters of eighteen months. To compensate for the death of the year, he bought natural spat at 12 euros per 1,000 babies oysters. "As a part of these juvenile new die also, this is not a solution." And this double our investments. "Even with government aid, an operation that achieves a turnover of EUR 1.1 million with a dozen employees, it is difficult to deal with this kind of financial hazard.

50 Of Ifremer researchers working on the record offers the sector, as early as 2010, new strains resistant, triploid (with 10 triplet of chromosomes, instead of 10 pairs like oysters unmodified). "It is a fundamental choice for the profession, as these oysters are sterile, which will require farmers to collect natural spat." "They will make as farmers who, each year, buy their seeds", admits Maurice Heral.

In the immediate future, although this mortality affects the whole of the producers, it will not affect the supply of products of the Atlantic for Christmas, in view of the production cycle of bivalves. This mollusc is indeed sold in its third year of production. "The end of the year, on a quantity and quality." Oysters are excellent. But next year it will be something else. "Consumers will fight to find", predicted Younick Vallégant, producer of oysters in deep water in the Gulf of Morbihan.

Shattered quality efforts

In this eve of holidays, Mediterranean farmers are, much less comfortable. "In the Thau Basin, oysters are in deep water and enjoy a rich plankton, which shortens their growth cycle." "They are therefore well plump, but, unlike the Atlantic, it is this season we are going to run out", admits Denis Regler, Director of the conchylienne regional Mediterranean. "The paradox is that they are very beautiful, or even too big to the habits of consumers, but it is not enough."

The seriousness of this crisis has escaped to the general public, whose attention was captured by the recurring problems of supposed toxicity of the basin of Arcachon oysters that have dotted the year (see opposite). However, it is real and likely to destroy the efforts of quality of the profession. Marc Vivier as others of his colleagues, such as Pierre-Marie Barrau, which produces marennes Oléron oysters, very sought by restaurants, have chosen to enhance their production through their brand. "I wish that the consumer who enjoying one of my oysters retain my mark." This is the best way to showcase my product. "Every day, at low tide, he hand ask pockets of oysters of 20 kilograms each. "In fact, there is less that they have more room to grow", says the oyster. With his men, he checks the State of the pockets already in place, returns to well to reposition the oysters in the current and within other lots, ready for consumption. "We are the only producers that do not feed our animals," noted with a chuckle that former medical student, who was soon preferred oyster beds to the banks of the FCC. Hence the urgent need for monitoring of water quality problems in the heart of the concerns of the industry.

Each year, the French companies 3,000 of oyster produce about 120,000 tons of oysters, which place the France in the world behind China, the Japan and the Korea 4erang. The French are the first consumers of these if privileged bivalves by about 15,000 people passionate about this job. "You can do this job if you like it at bottom", launches Younick Vallégant, who does not want to hear about conversion. Marc Vivier contemplated nor, despite all the difficulties, and even less when he sees his ten-year-old son handling with dexterity the forklift to store pallets of pockets of oysters. "It is not sure, unfortunately, that the trade is still cost-effective when it will be the age to exercise", concludes the oyster.

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