Details of the weatherforecast

THE TIDE  

Download the tidetimetable for 2008

« Prédictions pour La Rochelle - Reproduit avec l’autorisation n° 107/2007 du service hydrographique et Océanographique de la marine - France - © SHOM. Reproduction non vérifiée par le SHOM.
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SHELLFISHING

The sea often reminds you the beach, seabathing and boats, however shellfishing is also a great activity.

The first thing people, who are gathering shellfish at low tide, will need, is a tidetimetable.

You can find a great variety of shellfish: clams, oysters, winkles, cockles, shrimps, crabs..
Extract from the decree 40-96 of the regulations concerning shellfishing within the district of maritime affairs in les Sables d'Olonne :
The resource is fragile, it must be preserved by respecting the different size and quantity limits.

Regulations

The regional section of shellfish farming in Pays de la Loire, the district for mussels and oysters in l'Aiguillon sur Mer, informes all people who go shellfishing that regulations concerning shellfishing exist and must be checked .
If people don't act responsibly, shellfishing may immediately destroy the resources and their environment.
The mussel banks and the oyster beds have been installed in areas regularly conceeded to shellfish farmers by the administration of the maritime domain.

That's why mussels, oysters and other similar shellfish belong exclusively to the producers and it is forbidden to gather shellfish not nearer than 25 metres from the installations, from sunrise to sunset.

Shellfish wardens, who have been appointed by professional organisations, shall ensure that these measures are being respected. They are entitled to book people.
The minimum size required for shellfish is as following : mussels: 4 cm; cockles: 3 cm; clams: 4 cm; queen scallops: 4 cm. For these 4 sorts of shellfish, the maximum quantity required per person and per tide is 3 kg. 
Oysters: minimum weight required is 30 g and maximum quantity is three dozen per person and per tide.
The tools which are authorized for shellfishing are: rake with a handle not longer than 80 cm, forks, knife for gathering clams with a handle measuring approximatively 30 cm.
The gathered shellfish must be consumed only by the fisherman and the members of his family. Sale is forbidden.
The fisherman must replace the stones he has moved in the same position as before. He must let the smallest shells grow.