| In France. shellfish production is a traditional. well-established industry. mainly based upon commercial farming of the Pacifie oyster. Crassostrea gigas. Since the 1980's, annual mass mortalities of C. gigas have been reported during summer. Several studies on this subject have demonstrated that these mortality outbreaks resulted from complex interactions between the physiologieal andJor genetic status of the oysters. environmental factors, and one or more infectious agents, among which are bacteria of the genus Vibrio. |
