The answer is no.
And that’s sad, because it makes oysters much more vulnerable to diseases.
French veterinarian Tristan Renault has been studying oysters and other bivalves for over 20 years. He is working hard to tackle the cocktail of diseases that’s currently decimating European populations of oysters. And since vaccines don’t work, he is encouraging another way to protect them against elusive viruses and bacteria: natural crossing of the strongest individuals.