The oyster farmers of the Arcachon basin, excluded from New Year’s sales due to food poisoning, plan to file a complaint if they are not partially compensated. They estimate their damage at around 8 million euros.
“Today there is a feeling of injustice among us”declared Olivier Laban, president of the Arcachon Aquitaine Regional Mussel Farming Committee (CRCAA), after an extraordinary general meeting of producers in Gujan-Mestras in the Gironde.
For them, the sewage system on the banks of the basin is the reason for the water pollution that has contaminated the oysters, the sale of which has been banned since Wednesday evening by the prefecture of the department. Analysis showed that the “norovirus” responsible for gastroenteritis was present on farms, and many consumers became ill around Christmas.
In two and a half months it rained about 550 millimeters of water in the area, compared to 800 millimeters a year in general, said Olivier Laban. “The sewage system overflowed and the dirty water migrated to the lowest point, the pool water.”he emphasized.
“Know who will pay the bill”
“As much as we are able to accept the consequences of natural phenomena that are among the risks of the profession, the decision taken to ban is correct, but we have difficulty digesting it because we have nothing to do with it.” : Mine Colleagues and I did our work well.”the professional representative continued. “Today we need to know who will pay the bill”he said, pointing the finger at the communities that manage the sanitation network “who has shown his limits”.
The New Year’s sale would have included around 800 tonnes of oysters, equivalent to a turnover of 7 to 9 million euros. The CRCAA, which is scheduled to meet with the prefect next week, reserves the right to file a complaint if “A concrete solution to compensate affected companies” was not found quickly.
“If you want peace, you prepare for war.” Unfortunately, that’s how it worksconcluded Mr. Laban. We are not demanding reimbursement of all sales, only the lost gross margin.”The oysters returned to the parks can ultimately be sold well once the water quality is restored.
The deadline for this type of contamination is typically twenty-eight days, a manufacturer said Thursday.
