French Oyster Farmers Bristle at New Toilet Mandate for Small Boats
A new regulation intended to improve working conditions for sailors has instead ignited a firestorm of protest among French oyster farmers. Effective July 22, 2025, a decree mandates that all fishing boat manufacturers include a “hygiene point” – essentially a toilet and sink – on board. While seemingly innocuous, the measure applies even to vessels under 12 meters, including the shallow-draft barges used to tend oyster beds.
The oyster farming community is up in arms. Philippe Le Gal, president of the Regional Shellfish Farming Committee of Southern Brittany, told France 3 Bretagne, “It’s completely absurd on the part of the administration, because it’s simply impossible to implement. We’re talking about boats that go out for a few hours, not deep-sea vessels.”
The Practical Impossibility
The reality on the ground is stark. These barges lack cabins, water supplies, and the space to accommodate sanitary facilities. In some cases, installing a toilet would mean sacrificing half the deck space. “We often work at low tide, just a few hours, before returning to shore. You’d almost need an engineer to manage to fit a sink in there,” quipped one producer from Morbihan.
Shipyards echo this sentiment. A builder from Vendée, interviewed by Maville, described the situation as “unmanageable”: “We’ve looked at all the models, there’s neither the structure nor the volume to install such equipment.”
A Sector Already Under Pressure
The profession finds itself at an impasse. Lacking a realistic technical solution, shellfish farming unions are demanding exemptions for boats under 12 meters. “Just another layer of paperwork,” sighed an oyster farmer from Morbihan, fearing a new administrative headache: “We were promised a simplification shock, and now we have to prove that we can’t put a sink on a barge.”
Beyond the mockery, the situation is genuinely worrying. The sector is just emerging from a difficult period marked by oyster mortality, rising costs, declining sales, and labor shortages. “Young people are starting to come back, confidence too. This kind of measure can ruin everything,” warned Philippe Le Gal.
Oyster farmers emphasize that their practices are already subject to strict sanitary controls: weekly water analyses, traceability, and quality tests. “Our priority is food safety, not toilets on a ten-meter boat,” summarized a producer from Finistère.
Bureaucracy vs. Reality
Behind the scenes, the president of the Regional Committee alerted Éric Banel, director of maritime affairs and fisheries. He reportedly acknowledged the difficulty but did not suspend the text. The administration, for its part, is hiding behind the goal of European compliance on maritime working conditions. A justification that is not well received in the profession: “We are happy to talk about Europe, but they should come and see our boats before legislating,” said another oyster farmer.
In the ports, the discussion often turns to jokes, but the unease is real. Some are already imagining “approved portable toilets,” while others are considering symbolically suspending a toilet seat on their barges to denounce the absurdity of the rule. Behind the laughter, weariness dominates.
This new constraint is just a symptom of a deeper malaise: a growing gap between regulation and reality. Oyster farmers, accustomed to dealing with tides, controls, and health crises, are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with the pace imposed from Parisian offices. “We’re not asking for a gift, just a little common sense,” said a sailor from the Gulf of Morbihan.
For now, the industry is awaiting a relaxation of the text or, at a minimum, a clear exemption. In the meantime, oyster farmers continue to row between oyster beds and paperwork, hoping that this time, the administration will agree not to push the envelope… too far in the mud.
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