FOREVER Long-term sustainability of the flat oyster and its production in Brittany

FOREVER is proposing to record the remaining flat oyster beds in Brittany, analyse their ecological health and put forward conservation and restoration measures that call on innovative ecological engineering techniques from the circular economy.

Firmly focused on a sustainable development goal, this project intends to secure the long-term production of the flat oyster, an iconic heritage species of the Breton coast, while preserving coastal biodiversity.

The flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, is the species native to European coastal waters. Once dominant in most coastal ecosystems, the oyster survives in just a few restricted habitats, notably in Brittany, yielding an annual oyster production of less than 2,000 tonnes.

Without specific, well-organised measures, it is likely that this species will disappear from our coastal waters in the near future, as has already happened in other European countries. FOREVER is the only project in this field and will echo other projects underway in other countries of Europe.