Beware the Brittany oysters

Thursday 09 January 2020

Local 'shuckers' for oysters will be disappointed to find the shellfish delicacy off the menu on their next daytrip to France due to contamination believed to be caused by human waste being dumped in the sea.

French authorities have banned the fishing and selling of oysters in the bay around Mont-Saint-Michel and other coastal areas of Brittany until further notice after norovirus - a winter vomiting bug - was discovered in stocks across seven zones.

The ban is the fifth to be announced in the country since mid-December, disrupting the French tradition of consuming seafood over the festive period.

But it's also bad luck for Jersey and Guernsey islanders, for many of whom a 'fruits de mer' platter has become a traditional element of the Saint Malo daytrip experience.

Pictured: For many islanders, a daytrip to France is seen as an opportunity to try the traditional fruits de mer platter. 

One islander told Express that her husband became ill in December after consuming oysters in Saint Malo.

In total, around 150 of a total of 330 oysters farms in the South Brittany region have been affected, according to the regional shellfish committee, the CRC, which is pinning the blame on sewage issues in the area.

Its President, Philippe Le Gal, commented: “The gastroenteritis phenomenon has been around since Christmas. The sewage isn’t always properly treated by the purification plants and the virus ends up in the sea, especially after the rains we have had.”

Oyster farmers have now launched a petition demanding "immediate action" in dealing with what they describe as an "ecological emergency" as well as compensation.

Pictured: Saint Malo.

In a recent Scrutiny hearing, Jersey's Environment Minister, Deputy John Young, said that the government had made capital investments into upgrading local oyster farming plants to help ensure quality and standards locally.

Environment officials told Express that they were "aware of the Brittany issue", but were not aware of any problems locally.

They added that they "would not expect to receive either sewerage or the norovirus from the Bay of Mont St Michel which is 40 miles away and not connected directly to Jersey by local tidal currents", but would nonetheless continue to monitor Jersey stocks "closely and regularly" in line with EU regulations.