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The role shellfish in the socio-cultural history of EuropeJeroen Wijsman

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Kitchen midden sites (køkkenmødding)

Kitchen midden sites in Jutland (Denmark)

Neolithic man, 5000 years ago

Due to shortage of meat people started to eat shellfish (oysters, cockles)

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Aphrodite: Goddess of love

Born out of the sea Spawned by a King

Scallop Oysters are natural

aphrodisiac High level of zinc that is

required for production of testosterone

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Roman period

Lucullus organized massive oyster orgies

> 100 oyster per person was normal

Agrippa (63 BC -12 BC), imported English oysters that were harvested at the coast of Kent to Rome (Rutupians)

Roman, Sergius Orata invented the first oyster culture system. Imported oysters from Brindisi were fattened before selling in Rome

Lucius Licinius Lucullus (110 BC – 56 BC)

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Plinius (23-79 AD)

Oysters are a delicacy Medicinally

characteristics Appetizer Laxative against head cold

Reputed for its powers as an aphrodisiac

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Golden ages (17th century)

Oysters were the symbol of the incarnation of an aphrodisiac

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The oyster-eater, Jan Steen (1658)

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Like the old sang, Jan Steen (1665)

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Tweeërlei spel, Jan Steen (1679)

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The oystermeal, Frans van Mieris de Oude (1661)

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Still Life with Oysters, Lemons and Grapes (Cornelis de Heem, 1760)

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Oyster culture in France

Wild fishery on native oysters (Ostrea edulis) through Middle Ages

Culture of Ostrea edulis in former salt ponds in Marennes region 17th century

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Fattening of oysters in old salt ponds

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Oyster culture in France

Overexploitation in 18th century 1750 regulation enforced to restrict fishing

during breeding season 18th century collection of spat with limed

tiles Import of cupped oysters (Crassostrea

angulata) from Portugal

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Oyster culture in France

Heral (1989)

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Oyster culture France Seed supply

Natural spatfall, using various types of spat collectors

Hatcheries Growing stage

On-bottom culture: Intertidal (predation control with fences), subtidal

Off-bottom culture: Rack culture at intertidal Fattening in old salt ponds

“fines de claires” one month 20 m-2

“speciales de claire” two months 10 m-2

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Mussel culture in France

Extensive fishery until 19th century Local overfishing 1235 “Bouchot” culture Patrick Walton L’Aiguillon

Bay Bottom culture Long lines

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands

Early 18th century flat oysters collected by hand and with rakes and dredged in Wadden Sea and Zeeland

1714 import of seed oysters from Denmark reported Variable stock size (freezing, ice, cold summers)

Fishermen held their catch on private “oyster banks”, to be fattened till the season

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands

After 1850 decline in landings due to overfishing, failing recruitment and habitat loss, especially in Wadden Sea poverty among fishermen

Restocking experiments with imports from Denmark, England and Scotland

Zeeland became the hart of the Dutch oyster culture

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands

Seed collection with limed tiles

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands

In the winter, tiles with spat were brought to oysterponds

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands

Oysters are stored in ponds in Yerseke

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands

Sorting of oysters by hand

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands 1962/1963 severe winter

caused mass mortality in Oosterschelde, more than 90% of the oyster companies stopped their business (1)

1979 introduction Bonamia ostrea in Oosterschelde (2)

1989 B. ostrea in Lake Grevelingen (3)

oogst platte oesters

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

52 55 58 61 64 67 70 73 76 79 82 85 88 91 94 97 00 031952 - 2003

mln kg versgewicht

12

3

Flat oysters

1952 - 2003

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Oyster culture in the Netherlands

Introduction of Pacific oysters from British Columbia at experimental scale (1964)

At present Pacific oyster culture in Oosterschelde and Lake Grevelingen

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00

year

Milj kg fresh weight

Crassostrea gigas

Ostrea edulis

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Mussel culture in the Netherlands

Wild fishery of mussels 15th century mussels were stored for later use at

plots 1870: culture plots were leased out

End for small fishermen 1917 shortage of food in war zones: export of

cooked and canned mussels Market in Brussels and Antwerp 1950 Myticola intestinalis in Delta waters Fishery and culture plots in Wadden Sea

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Dutch mussel culture: mainly bottom culture

Seed fishery

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Mussel culture: seed translocated to culture plots

Culture plots

#Yerseke

Auction Yerseke

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Mussel culture in the Netherlands

Extensive culture. Fishery in Wadden Sea conflicts with nature conservation organizations early 1990’s Intertidal mussel beds disappeared Fishery intertidal areas forbidden Reservation of mussels and cockles for birds Quotation seed fishery

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Mussel culture in the Netherlands

Innovation in culture techniques Mussel seed capture Hatcheries Culture on land

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Shellfish aquaculture communities

Small villages Closed religious communities Family companies with long history Important role in local economy Touristic attraction Local delicacies

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Conclusions

Shellfish and shellfish culture have a long history in Europe

From 2nd choice food and poor man’s food to a delicacy

From fishery in wild to culture Extensive culture, depending on nature and

influencing nature Long tradition and valued for its long

tradition

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Thanks for your attention!!!

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