L'occasion d'une prise de conscience avec nos partenaires européens :
- sur la gestion des océans et de leurs ressources
- sur le changement climatique en cours d'origine naturelle et anthropique et de ses impacts régionaux

1° What are the negative impacts of the proliferation of wild oysters'spats on the environment?
Some nuisances are brought about by the proliferation of wild oysters'spats. Some wild oysters'spats fix themselves on cultured oysters.

2° What are the measures taken to solve these problems ?
Oysters farms are to be looked after carefully in order to contain the proliferation of competitors and predators :
Winkles, sea-breams
Oysters cleaning is expensive

3° What are the advantages brought about by the proliferation of wild oysters?
The proliferation of the Pacific oyster represents an advantage:
New collecting sites may be created. In Brittany, the production of oysters'spats has been developped.

4° What are the effects of climate warming on the oysters ?
The farming of Pacific oysters depends on the quality of the environment. Some Pacific oysters are now grown in the Channel and in the North Sea whereas there were none of them in the 70s. This is due to the sea temperature and to the salt level which are determining factors for the survival of oysters' larvae.
In the UK and the North Sea, the Pacific oyster is considered a noxious pest because it endangers the local ecosystems.

5° Owing to climate change, are there new predators for the oysters ?
Some changes in the fauna and flora are to be noticed in the South Atlantic where the sea water is getting warmer. Triggerfish are causing damage in oysters farms.

6° What are the significant consequences of climate change on the coastal environment ?
There will be some consequences such as the sea level rise and the alteration of tidal amplitude.
More than 10% of the European coastal areas are less than 5 meters high and thus bound to be submerged.
The rise in temperatures of coastal waters may quickly alter the geographical distribution of marine species.

7° What are the impacts on the sea environment ?
Coastal areas where shell farming is developped will be hit. Indeed, the significant rise in temperatures will have consequences on :
•  The local ecosystems
•  Eutrophation ( water pollution by nitrates and phosphates)
•  The movements of streams and tides
•  The distribution of marine resources
•  The migration to the north of southern species.