Evolution of oyster aquaculture: problems and perspectives

The total marine molluscs produced by aquaculture had increased from 1984 to 1990 by 1 000 000 tons going from 1 993 985 tons to 2 964 688 tons. The oyster production remained constant with 870 000 tons. Crassostrea gigas, the Japanese oyster, represented more than 80 % of the oyster production but high mortalities appeared in different countries connected to end of winter and summer mortalities and development of new diseases. The cultivation of Crassostrea virginica, the American oyster, was limited (80 000 tons) by the spreading of two diseases (MSX and dermo) destruction of habitat and over-exploitation. Production of the fiat oyster Ostrea eduIis was still very limited by the presence of the Bonamia diseases in a11 the countries except on Mediterranean coast.\n\n\n\n