Once again, the producers of the Etang de Thau, near Sète (Hérault), faced a new ban on harvesting and marketing their shellfish (oysters, mussels and clams) at the end of the year. The press release from the Hérault prefecture fell on the eve of New Year’s Eve on December 31, one of the most important events for this sector: “After several declared cases of collective food poisoning due to consumption of oysters from the Etang de Thau, analyzes of the shellfish showed the presence of norovirus. »
This norovirus is none other than the causative agent in gastroenteritis. During an epidemic, as was the case before the holidays, this virus is therefore found en masse in wastewater. And, when there is a malfunction, or heavy rains, they are thrown back into the pond, without being treated as it should be. For shellfish farmers, who regularly experience suspensions of their activity, this is too much. For them, the damage is estimated at more than 6 million euros. The Regional Shellfish Committee of the Mediterranean (CRCM) filed a complaint against the agglomeration of Sète (and against X).
The fear of pollution before Christmas
In his complaint, that 20 minutes was able to consult, the CRCM blames the community for the discharge of more than 33,000 m3 of untreated raw water into the marine environment, in contact with shellfish production. The fear of the CRCM, if nothing is done, is that the episodes of gastroenteritis are getting closer and closer to the end of year celebrations, and that each time it will be the same story. Gastroenteritis, heavy rains… and a ban, which hits the producers of the pond. “If we look at the chronology of these suspensions, we realize that in 2018, it was in February, we explain to 20 minutes, at the CRCM. In 2020, in January. In 2022, just after Christmas. The fear is that the next closure will be just before Christmas. If professionals can’t make Christmas, it would be catastrophic. Parties account for 30% of their turnover. What the CRCM wants is “an intelligent dialogue with all the parties concerned, to identify all the causes and put in place preventive solutions”.
In a press release, Sète Agglopôle said “to take note” of this complaint. The community insists, moreover, on the efforts made for years to improve the quality of the waters of the lagoon. In the early 2000s, “the water quality of the pond […] was excessively degraded. The shellfish growing area was subject to significant amounts of waste. The crises were numerous: bacteriological contamination, eutrophication (malaigues) destructive of all production followed one another and jeopardized the activity, which could have disappeared”, notes the agglomeration.
“247 million euros” for water treatment
Since then, “no less than 247 million euros” have been disbursed to improve wastewater and rainwater treatment. This led in particular to the removal of several treatment plants, to “control the bacteriological load of direct discharge into the lagoon”, and the connection of several municipalities to the Sète station. The completion of this work will make it possible, in a few months, “to provide additional security for events such as the one we experienced at the start of the year by avoiding any overflow of wastewater into the environment”, in the event of of rains. “However, the issue of norovirus remains complex to deal with, because it remains present in water, even after treatment. The preferred track […] is screening upstream, and that efficient sheltering be studied as a priority”, indicates Sète Agglopôle.
The ban on harvesting oysters, mussels and clams from Thau could perhaps be lifted at the end of January, if the analyzes carried out prove to be correct.