Oyster virus strikes again

OYSTER shortages are on the way for shellfish lovers this year after stocks have been wiped out by a virus for the third year in a row.

Farms have lost nearly 100% of their first-year stock, naissains and as it takes three years to grow commercial oysters there is little coming through.

A quarter of the 4,200 businesses are feared to be on the brink and oyster farmers protested in Paris dumping tonnes of shells on the Pont de l’Alma bridge.

Normandy farmer Louis Cardonnel told TF1: “It is a catastrophe. The government is not paying attention, within two years there will be no more oysters.”

A delegation met Agriculture Minister Bruno le Maire who promised an inquiry and e150 million in aid over three years.

Nathalie Cochennec-Laureau, of marine research agency Ifremer said the virus was in the Mediterranean, the major hatcheries at Arcachon and up to Brittany.

The virus mutated in 2008 and its mortality increased from 10-40% to today’s 80-100%. Hatcheries are being blamed by the oyster farmers as they produce millions of larvae and Ms Cochennec admitted production was “absolutely colossal” and could have weakened the species.