French herpes boosts English oyster industry

Warmer waters along the Atlantic coast have led to an abundance of plankton, meaning the oysters are assured of food and are instead concentrating on developing their sexual organs. But this has left them open to infection, and now the french must look elsewhere or face a severe shortage of the delicacy over the next few years.

The British Shellfish Association said oysters bred in the UK were not affected but urged vigilance. It said oyster growers in Kent, Essex and Merseyside could benefitDavid Jarrad from the association told BBC News that UK growers and buyers should not import young oysters from France for the time being, as a precautionary measure. He said there had always been a disparity in prices between French and UK-bred oysters, as the French industry was subsidised, but prices in France were rising because of the serious shortage of the molluscs. "As oysters take around three years to mature, there could well be a boost for UK trade," he told the news source.

The French eat millions of oysters a year, usually with lemon and white wine.