Oyster farming has been practised in the Arcachon basin since 1852, when the first oyster banks were created.
The very clean waters of the Bay of Arcachon, combined with abundant plankton, ideal salinity and ideal water temperatures, provide healthy, tasty oysters, but also stimulate the mating instinct. Arcachon is considered the oyster nursery of France.
Today there are about 350 oyster farms and the average annual production is 10,000 tons.