Theme 4: Marine biological resources/Fishing and aquaculture

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A native of European coastal waters, the flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, formed the basis of oyster production in France until the 1960s. The appearance of the parasitic diseases, Bonamiosis and Marteiliosis, in the 1970s resulted in high mortality rates among oysters, upsetting the balance of natural beds and methods of production. To limit the impact of these parasites, oysters are now raised in deep water and, once they are two years old and passed the mortality peak, they are recovered by dragging. This does minimise the impact of the parasites but also incurs significant production costs. Traditional shoreline cultivation in the intertidal zone has totally disappeared due to mortality rates systematically reaching 100%.

While a small number of producers still cultivate the flat oyster today, most have turned to breeding Crassostrea gigas, a cupped oyster that originates in the Pacific and that was chosen particularly for its resilience, good growth rates and taste. 

The PERLE project (Programme d'Expérimentation et de Recherche sur L’huître plate - Programme of experimentation and research into the flat oyster), which brings together shellfish farming professionals and researchers from Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, is aimed at ensuring sustainable, profitable farming of the flat oyster in these two regions using traditional production methods. For several years, discussion has been ongoing regarding a return to production of the flat oyster, with the aim of diversifying oyster-farming activities in France. This debate has intensified since summer 2008, when a new epizootic disease appeared and caused large numbers of deaths among young cupped oysters. 

Work will start with gathering information on the natural flat-oyster beds at four locations - at Granville and at sites in the bays of Brest, Quiberon and Bourgneuf. The data should confirm whether these populations display different characteristics regarding fertility, resilience, growth, etc., should lead to an understanding of their ecosytems and should provide an opportunity to study the development of diseases among these oyster populations. 

Armed with the knowledge acquired from this research and using a sample of brood stock oysters, producers will carry out breeding programmes to identify strains and crossbreed strains suitable for restocking natural beds. They will be looking at hardiness in particular, while maintaining maximum genetic diversity. Testing resilience and growth under cultivation conditions will also be carried out on these same strains and crossbreed strains. 

Between now and 2013, the PERLE project will put forward methods for sustainably managing and farming natural flat-oyster beds, and of conserving this natural asset and iconic symbol of the French Atlantic seaboard. 
  

PERLE project partners

 

Research centres

• Ifremer

• UBO

• Station Biologique de Roscoff (Roscoff Marine Biology Station)

• SMIDAP - Syndicat Mixte pour le Développement de l'Aquaculture en Pays de Loire (regional technical centre of the Mixed Syndicate for the Development of Pays de Loire Aquaculture), Nantes.
   

Industry professionals  

• Comité Régional de la Conchyliculture Bretagne Nord (North Brittany Regional Shellfish Farming Council), Morlaix, project director

• Comité Régional de la Conchyliculture Pays de la Loire (Pays de la Loire Regional Shellfish Farming Council)

  
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