The Hérault prefecture has lifted the ban on the harvesting and marketing of clams and mussels from the Thau pond, decided in October, due to the presence of toxins making them unfit for consumption .
Given the results on mussels, “the prefect of Hérault has decided (…) to lift the ban on fishing, collection, transport, purification, shipping, distribution and marketing with a view to human consumption of shellfish from the areas of the Etang de Thau”, indicated the State services.
A two-week ban in January
Oysters, snails or any other gastropod were not affected by the contamination announced in October and remained consumable “without restriction”.
The toxins at the origin of the ban, brought by microscopic plants, phytoplanktons, cannot be destroyed by cooking. This ban is the second of the year. The previous one, in January, had lasted a fortnight.