60
The Last Resource
and the like. In such circumstances, large ‘table’ sh might become a
sufcient luxury to command prices high enough to justify large—
scale marine farming. Another possibility is that large food com—
panies such as Unilever in the United Kingdom With a considerable
interest in sh products may nd the additional cost of reared sh
more than offset by the savings from processing a continuous, con—
trollable supply of ‘standard’ sh from the farm.
The only marine farming done on a world—wide scale is the
cultivation of shell sh and, in particular, the oyster. During the
Roman Occupation of barbarous Britain, one of the few things
endearing it to Rome is said to be the output of ‘native’ oysters,
Ostrea edulis. Apparently no banquet was complete without oysters
and, with records of at least one civilized Roman consuming a
thousand at a single sitting, it is hardly surprising that some came
from as far aeld as Richborough in Kent. After the British oyster
lost its enthusiastic Roman following, little was heard of it again
until the Tudor period by which time an extensive shery had been
established in the river estuaries around Colchester near the East
Coast. Thereafter stocks of oysters here, and in other coastal sites,
apparently thrived until by the 18 50s the oyster had become a poor
man’s food With hundreds of millions being sold in London. But
such thoughtless predation could not last long; the oyster beds were
over—exploited and pirated with disastrous results.
Attempts to restock the depleted beds With new oysters, including
some from overseas, made matters worse by introducing pests such
as a marine snail, the oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea) and the slipper
limpet (Crepidulamicaz‘a) from the USA, an Australasian barnacle
(Elminius modesz‘us) and the ‘red worm’, really a degenerate
crustacean (Lytz'licola intestinalis). Today the production of oysters
in the United Kingdom is only some one per cent of that in the
heyday of the industry just over a hundred years ago. However,
British oyster beds have not been the only ones in danger. During
the time of Napoleon Ill, the situation in France became so serious
that Professor ]. V. Coste of the Collège de France was sent on a
fact—nding mission to other oyster—growing areas. More recently,
the oyster beds in the United States have become seriously depleted,
often as a result of apparently unaccountable diseases. Moreover
polluted rivers in these and other countries carry increasing quan—
tities of waste which have serious effects on shell sh.
Abundant supplies of ‘seed’ oysters are needed to maintain viable
The Last Resource
and the like. In such circumstances, large ‘table’ sh might become a
sufcient luxury to command prices high enough to justify large—
scale marine farming. Another possibility is that large food com—
panies such as Unilever in the United Kingdom With a considerable
interest in sh products may nd the additional cost of reared sh
more than offset by the savings from processing a continuous, con—
trollable supply of ‘standard’ sh from the farm.
The only marine farming done on a world—wide scale is the
cultivation of shell sh and, in particular, the oyster. During the
Roman Occupation of barbarous Britain, one of the few things
endearing it to Rome is said to be the output of ‘native’ oysters,
Ostrea edulis. Apparently no banquet was complete without oysters
and, with records of at least one civilized Roman consuming a
thousand at a single sitting, it is hardly surprising that some came
from as far aeld as Richborough in Kent. After the British oyster
lost its enthusiastic Roman following, little was heard of it again
until the Tudor period by which time an extensive shery had been
established in the river estuaries around Colchester near the East
Coast. Thereafter stocks of oysters here, and in other coastal sites,
apparently thrived until by the 18 50s the oyster had become a poor
man’s food With hundreds of millions being sold in London. But
such thoughtless predation could not last long; the oyster beds were
over—exploited and pirated with disastrous results.
Attempts to restock the depleted beds With new oysters, including
some from overseas, made matters worse by introducing pests such
as a marine snail, the oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea) and the slipper
limpet (Crepidulamicaz‘a) from the USA, an Australasian barnacle
(Elminius modesz‘us) and the ‘red worm’, really a degenerate
crustacean (Lytz'licola intestinalis). Today the production of oysters
in the United Kingdom is only some one per cent of that in the
heyday of the industry just over a hundred years ago. However,
British oyster beds have not been the only ones in danger. During
the time of Napoleon Ill, the situation in France became so serious
that Professor ]. V. Coste of the Collège de France was sent on a
fact—nding mission to other oyster—growing areas. More recently,
the oyster beds in the United States have become seriously depleted,
often as a result of apparently unaccountable diseases. Moreover
polluted rivers in these and other countries carry increasing quan—
tities of waste which have serious effects on shell sh.
Abundant supplies of ‘seed’ oysters are needed to maintain viable