The French mussel industry has been devastated by a mysterious condition which is killing the molluscs before they reach maturity.
Production is down by a whopping 95% in the key growing area of western France and by 60% in other principal production areas.
Mussel farmers fear the losses could amount to millions of euros.
French restaurants have been forced to either abandon the traditional dish of moules-frites, once the fare of the poor, or rely on imports from other European countries, particularly Ireland, the Netherlands and Italy.
The French government has begun research into the problem, but scientists have not yet pinpointed the cause. Suspicion surrounds the bacterium Vibrio splendidus, but it is known to have existed in mussel growing areas for a long time.
Researchers are considering if the mussels have become more susceptible or if the bacterium has become more virulent. They must also consider the impact of a rise in water temperatures, pollution, and pesticide leach.
The narrative is not new. In just 2014 French mussels died in huge numbers. Growers dumped piles of dead mussels and oyster shells outside the Préfecture of La Rochelle to demand government action.
This time the authorities were quick to promise financial aid, interest-free loans and grants to clean and replenish mussel farms.
French oyster production has also dwindled by more than a third in the wake of a devastating virus which struck in 2008.
