Le Figaro Bordeaux
For their customers, the end-of-year celebrations were very difficult to digest, and for the oyster farmers, the bill was especially very steep. Between Christmas and the New Year, the Gironde prefecture was forced to ban the sale of oysters from the Arcachon basin, after several cases of collective food infections. Poor wastewater management would have led to a proliferation of norovirus in shellfish. Four months later, the government detailed a series of measures to support the sector.
Because of this ban at a crucial time for sales, oyster farmers in the Arcachon basin estimate their losses at seven million euros in turnover. But before the health ax fell, the sector
“was already experiencing a difficult year”
, specifies the government,
“with a 10% drop in sales in volume compared to 2022”
. In its stated desire to support oyster farmers, the government now wishes to
“reestablish the bond of trust with consumers”
.
“Protect the entire aquaculture ecosystem”
In a press release, the government announces that 500,000 euros will be redeployed in particular by FranceAgriMer, the national establishment for agricultural and seafood products, in order to
“support the sector's crisis communication”
and that oyster farmers will be exempt from state royalties
“up to 90%”
. In the medium term, oyster farmers in financial difficulty
“will be able to benefit from a rescheduling of their debts, which may include up to one year of deferred payment, or from cash loans at preferential rates granted by their bank branch”
.
In the longer term, the government plans to
“structurally protect the entire aquaculture ecosystem and biodiversity on the ground”
, with the establishment of a
“Water-Climate”
contract , by investing ten million euros
“for the effective management of water from upstream to downstream of the basin”
. The release of additional aid by the European Commission is also being studied. Although the investigation into the entities criminally responsible for the pollution of the Arcachon basin is still ongoing, the courts have given the water manager six months to bring its network up to standard.