The French Atlantic Case Study is focused on the consequences of harmful algal blooms (HABs) such as Dinohysis and Alexandrium on shellfish aquaculture.
Image source: http://envlit.ifremer.fr/var/envlit/storage/documents/parammaps/dinophysis/
Since 2014, massive mortality of mussels severely affects mussel farmers and specially emerging mussel farmers with strong investments. To cope with this crisis, companies have implemented various strategies: dismissals, lack of hiring, short-time working, removal of investments, change of distribution channels, diversification and lack of salary for shellfish farmers.
Given the strong stakes connected with the presence of these two HABs in this area, the Co-CliME project is developing biology research carried out by IFREMER and economic research carried out by the University of Nantes. The economic study focuses on the HABs risk perception by shellfish farmers and its determinants. Furthermore, the attitude and the intentions of shellfish farmers towards various possible strategies in order to deal with the current and future threats will be studied.
