After “unanimous opinion of the departmental health commission”The Prefecture of Gironde announced on Friday January 19 the effective lifting of the temporary ban on fishing and marketing of all shellfish, including oysters, from the Arcachon basin.

This ban was ordered on December 27th after numerous cases of gastroenteritis attributed to the presence of noroviruses in breeding ground water.

“This excellent news heralds the expected return of oysters [d’]Arcachon [et du] Cap Ferret in the huts, at the stalls and the smiles of the producers at the markets”welcomed the Arcachon Aquitaine Regional Mussel Farming Committee (CRCAA).

According to state services “No new contamination events have been recorded in shellfish from the Arcachon basin” since December 22, the date of the last oyster harvest that caused one of the foodborne illnesses.

Over and beyond, “Météo-France has also not detected any new meteorological events with significant rain.” And “no disruption to the plumbing network” of the basin has not been recorded by the SIBA (the Intermunicipal Union of the Arcachon Basin, responsible for the local sewage network and stormwater management) since December 22, continues the prefecture.

For’“frame” This reopening was announced by the Prefect of the Gironde, Etienne Guyot “Increased monitoring of the bacteriological quality of water and shellfish by ensuring weekly rather than monthly samples until the end of winter”.

10% of oysters produced in France

The Arcachon Basin is one of the country’s main oyster producing areas, producing around 8,000 tonnes per year (or almost 10% of the oysters produced in France). The damage associated with this ban is estimated at 5 million euros.

Two days after the prefectural decree of December 27, an association created by oyster farmers to protect the waters of the Arcachon Basin filed a complaint against the intermunicipal union. She pointed to the pollution of the marine environment caused by network overflows after heavy rains and blamed the manager.

A report of rioting prompted the Bordeaux prosecutor’s office to open an investigation on January 5 “Ecocide” above all. On January 12, the Environmental Coordination of the Arcachon Basin, an environmental association, filed a complaint against X for environmental pollutionIntoxication and endangerment of others.

The latter believes so “Many people knew”since November that the oysters were contaminated, but they preferred to turn a blind eye to it ” save “ Oyster farmers’ Christmas. The holiday season accounts for two-thirds of industry sales.

The CRCAA announced this on Tuesday “initiate expedited expert proceedings before the Bordeaux Administrative Court”to determine those responsible for the pollution of the waters of the Arcachon Basin. “Because to this day the question remains unanswered: Who pays the bill? »launched the CRCAA on Thursday in a press release.