New French route cuts oyster firm's export costs

An oyster firm expects to save tens of thousands of pounds after a new export service opened in France.

The veterinary inspection service opened in Granville on 21 October, which officials said marked "an important step forward" for the aquaculture industry.

Chris Le Masurier, who runs Jersey Oyster Company, said it was the first time the Granville facility had been operating since 2020 because of post-Brexit changes requiring products of animal origin to go through a border control post in St Malo.

He said the requirement to use St Malo for oyster exports from Jersey "was basically costing £100,000 a year extra" due to the longer distance.

Le Masurier said: "What normally can be done in a one-day round trip to the Port of Granville was taking two-and-a-half days [for St Malo]."

He said authorities in Jersey and France had been helpful in getting the new post up and running but he noted Jersey fishers were still at a disadvantage to their French counterparts.

"The fishermen in Jersey don't get subsidies for their fuel," he said.

"The catch has to come back to Jersey, has to then be handled by a merchant, then exported over to France with high freight rates; whereas French fishers that come into our waters can take their catch back on the same day and sell it direct for human consumption.

"We're not on a level playing field."

The BBC has contacted the Government of Jersey for further comment.

Le Masurier said the new port was reducing the environmental impact of exporting oysters to Europe because the previous St Malo route ment higher fuel consumption.

"We talk about the ecology and nature and because of political reasons we've burnt thousands of litres of diesel going in a big triangle between Britain, Normandy, back to Jersey," he said.

Senator Mary Le Hegarat, Minister for Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, said the island would continue to work with the French to expand the range of species Jersey can export.

"This helps to reduce some of the challenges and costs introduced by Brexit," she said.

"This is an important step in strengthening our links with Normandy and supporting sustainable export opportunities for Jersey's aquaculture industries."

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