La culture de la moule en Hollande

Today, French oyster culture is self-sufficient. It also fulfills the French customers' needs and exports a large amount of its production. All Dutch farms are forbidden to the French oysters. With the exception of small amounts bought recently by Dutch farmers following a severe disease, no trade has taken place from France to the Netherlands for almost fifty years (1). Several authors explain this prohibition by a fear of bringing to the Dutch farms the drill periwinkle, almost unknown over there. I heard another explanation which had to do with the desire to protect the Dutch oyster from any mix, to keep it "pure blooded" We encountered the same desire in the Cancale area, where the importation of oysters from another French "Region" has been prohibited since the Convention of Dole in 1907.