The Bay of Paimpol is a great place for shellfish gathering. The foreshore is the area exposed at low tide, and it is a fragile environment. Shellfish gathering is free and open to all, but it is not without risks to the gatherer and to native species which may suffer from overfishing.
In 2024, make the most of the big tides !
- from 10 to 13 February: coefficient 103 to 110
- from 10 to 13 March: coefficient 104 to 116
- from 8 to 11 April: coefficient 105 to 113
- from 8 to 9 May: coefficient 100 to 101
- from 20 to 23 August: coefficient 100 to 108
- from 18 to 21 September: coefficient 102 to 115
- from 16 to 20 October: coefficient 102 to 113
- From 15 to 17 November : coefficient 100 to 104
Follow the rules
- Respect the animals’ habitat by carefully putting rocks and pebbles back in their original location (seaweed on the top).
- Respect the size regulations and the gathering period. Collect only a ‘reasonable’ quantity for your personal consumption.
- Don’t collect any egg-carrying females.
- Use the correct tools according to the species you are gathering: a claw for cockles, which causes less damage than a rake, a prawn net with suitable sized mesh, a hook for crab or lobster, taking care that it’s not so sharp as to damage the shell...
Your fishing kit is available at the Tourist Office !
Available at the Tourist Office, the shellfish-gathering kit (ruler and information brochure) is produced by the association Vivarmor Nature. Visit their website for useful information.
Some safety rules to follow
- To ensure your catch is safe to eat, check with the local town hall (mairie) or the department of Affaires Maritimes who can supply information about the local fishing area. The website www.pecheapied-responsable.fr publishes ALERTS in the event of temporary bans on shellfish gathering for reasons of public health.
- Know the tide times in the area you’ve chosen (don’t forget your watch), and check the weather forecast
- Let someone know where you’re going and what time you’ll be back
- Wear brightly-coloured clothes
- Keep the shellfish alive until just before you cook them or eat them (not in the sun, not in water, not on ice)
- Please be aware, shellfish gathering is not allowed in certain areas due to risks to health. You can find information on these areas by consulting the prefectoral decree on sites that are permanently banned from shellfish gathering for reasons of public health (22/09/2016)
Around Paimpol, shellfish gathering is allowed almost everywhere, except for the ports of Loguivy-de-la-Mer and Paimpol, plus the area west of Pors Don as far as the pointe de Mesquer, the Bay of Poulafret and the Anse de Beauport, the port of Bréhec and the area between the islands of Bréhat and Lavrec.
