the prefect of Gironde announces an investment plan of 36 million euros to clean up the Arcachon Basin

The State is investing 36 million euros to clean up the Arcachon Basin, the prefect announced on Monday to elected officials and local stakeholders.

The prefect of Gironde announced, Monday January 15, an investment plan of 36 million euros to clean up the Arcachon Basin in the case of contaminated oysters, reports France Bleu Gironde.

The announcement was made by Etienne Guyot who brought together this Monday in Bordeaux elected officials from the Arcachon Basin, local stakeholders, representatives of the shellfish industry, the Water Agency and those responsible for the sanitation of the Basin of Arcachon (SIBA). “Our imperative is to accelerate an investment plan”declared the prefect.

5 million euros in losses for oyster farmers

The State has therefore planned to release an envelope of 36 million euros to improve the wastewater treatment system in the Arcachon Basin. On the other hand, specifies France Bleu, the prefect has not made an announcement concerning compensation for oyster farmers who have estimated their losses at 5 million euros. However, he promised rapid responses, which did not satisfy Olivier Laban, president of the regional shellfish farming committee: “At this stage, I have nothing concrete for the profession. I no longer even know which minister I should contact.”

At the beginning of January, an investigation was opened into the case of contaminated oysters from the Arcachon basin which caused massive poisonings around Christmas. The production of oyster farmers in this area – which supplies nearly 10% of the country’s oysters with some 8,000 tonnes per year – was banned for sale on December 27, a few days before New Year’s Eve, after a gastro epidemic. -enteritis around Christmas.

An investigation opened for ecocide

A first complaint was filed two days later by an association for the defense of the waters of the Arcachon basin (Adeba), created by oyster farmers, against the intercommunal union (Siba) responsible for the local sanitation network and the management of rainy waters. Adeba pointed out the contamination of the marine environment by network overflows after heavy rains, blaming the manager.

The observation of excesses led the public prosecutor’s office to open an investigation on January 5, particularly to “ecocide”. Since then, the prosecution has indicated that it has been seized “of two new complaints and was informed of the desire of many oyster farmers to file complaints in turn.” Complaints to which the mayor of Arcachon and president of Siba, Yves Foulon, did not want to return: “I do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”