"Gulping down oysters has long been a favourite New Year's Eve ritual for the French, but as winters get warmer and summers get drier many growers worry there will soon be fewer of the prized mollusks to go around.

"Twenty years ago, we'd be shivering in the warehouse while preparing the holiday orders. Today it's 15 degrees (60 Fahrenheit)," says Brittany oysterman Mathieu Le Moal, his sleeves rolled up in front of a tractor carrying dozens of bulging oyster sacks.

"We don't have seasons anymore -- but oysters need all four," Le Moal adds. "They need the winter, it's when they can rest, use less energy.""

Agence France-Presse had the story December 31, 2018. [2]