An aquaculture project proposes a new approach to the marshes in the Vendée. This remarkable natural space has not finished being a provider of wealth for the territory.
Since the beginning of the year, the Proux marsh, which runs along the pedestrian path, on the edge of the territory of the Île-d’Olonne marshes, which leads to the salt marsh huts, has been in operation. An aquaculture project is underway. This is a new approach to the marshes.
Dany Rassoul, known as Momo, active in Island associations and former caterer on the church square, wanted to change his professional orientation and decided to embark on aquatic agriculture and exploit this marsh, with an aquaculture project: « Today, there is an increasingly strong demand for the production of algae for consumption, because they are rich in protein. I find this culture and this product very interesting. When I learned that the municipality had just bought this marsh, which covers more than 3 ha and encompasses seven basins, I went to propose a project. I followed a training in Brittany, at the Ceva (Center for the Study and Valorization of Algae). «
Sea lettuce cultivation
He presents his project: « It concerns three basins at the moment. And it is articulated around my desire to cultivate macro-algae, ulva lactuca, called sea lettuce. It is a food of the future. The marshes lend themselves completely to this culture. I plan to exploit some areas of the salt marsh this year, if the marsh is ready. Above all, I plan to have my first seaweed harvest this year. «
He is waiting for the arrival of the excavator at the beginning of May, which will remove the mud, formed at the bottom of the basins, and create the hydraulic connection between the basins.
Three basins, three destinations
In the basin that runs along the path, which has an area of 3,500 m², he began to prepare the salt marsh, where the original 21 areas (salt harvesting basins) reappear: « This marsh was intended to become a fish marsh when it was abandoned in the 1950s. There had been several rainy years and no salt harvest. As algae are preserved thanks to salt, it is a good addition to my project. «
The aquaculture marsh is planned at the bottom, near the salt huts, in a basin that covers 4,000 m²: « The conditions reproduce the marine environment well, where the algae grows naturally. «
The third basin, located next to the salt pan, which occupies an area of 4,000 m², will be reserved for the harvest of the salicornia: « I will thus have a production all year round. Salicornia from May to mid-July, salt until September and algae, which are not afraid of cold, the rest of the year. «
