Morning Shore Fishing in Charente Maritime

Charente-Maritime is full of outdoor activities. When the tide goes out, a wonderful opportunity arises to discover the ocean in a whole new way! So, put on your boots and grab your hat, because we’re going fishing, exploring the intertidal zone!

Which Spot to Choose for Shore Fishing?

Today, the sky is blue, the morning air is already warm, and the day promises to be magnificent. The four friends we are have decided to head to the intertidal zone. This is the coastal area periodically covered or uncovered by the movement of the tides. In this very special ecosystem, which undergoes numerous variations (temperature, currents, salinity), animal and plant species develop that know how to adapt to these daily changes. Charente-Maritime is a privileged place where we can find several types of coastlines.
For example, we find rocky coasts north of Île d’Oléron, the beaches of Ré, mainly sandy, mudflats, or estuary areas, such as those of the Charente, Seudre, or Sèvre Niortaise. You must ensure that the tide is low to be able to stroll on the intertidal zone, with large tidal coefficients being the most favorable for this activity.

The intertidal zone is the shore fisher’s playground. However, it must be respected. This precious resource, which offers us food, recreation, or simply wonder, is more important than ever to preserve…

10:30 AM, Meeting at the Fishing Spot…

While the rocky intertidal zone is an ideal hiding place for crabs, spider crabs, velvet crabs, or periwinkles, and the mudflats for clams, the sandy area left by the ocean that we are exploring today reveals a wide expanse inhabited by razor clams and cockles.

Here we are on the Oléron intertidal zone, searching for these. We know they hide under the sand, at shallow depths. We have a mesh basket that allows the freshly caught shellfish to soak in the water. Equipped with a small garden claw to gently lift the soil surface, we embark on our treasure hunt. In any case, our hands will be the best tools to delicately unearth the shellfish from the sand.

11:00 AM, the Fishers are Busy!

Here, you just need to lightly scratch the surface to dislodge the bivalves that organize themselves in clusters. When you find one, dozens are all around. For razor clams, fishing is even more fun. They leave a figure-8 shaped hole in the sand, which you need to fill with salt and seawater. Hidden 50 centimeters deeper and thinking the tide is coming in due to this sudden influx of salt, the razor clam will then emerge from its hiding place. Bingo! That’s when you can grab it! For every stone lifted or turned over, we make sure to put it back in its place so as not to disturb the plants, microorganisms, or animals that we don’t intend to catch.

11:30 AM, Already a Good Catch, Time to Pack up!

Our basket is already well-filled, and we know we’ve caught enough today to finish our morning activity. We made sure to only catch cockles that were large enough (2.7 cm minimum) and released the smaller ones so they could continue to grow. Tourist offices provide free fishing gauges to precisely measure each shellfish. For some of them, it’s not only the size that matters but also the number of individuals caught.

Good Conduct for Shore Fishers

• Respect authorized sizes according to species. To do this, get a fishing gauge from a Tourist Office;
• Be reasonable with quantities and don’t catch more than you will consume;
• Fish by hand or with a landing net. If you use a small claw, do not violently scratch the ground;
• Put lifted rocks back in their place to preserve the local ecosystem.

To learn about the regulations concerning recreational shore fishing, you should consult the Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea of Charente-Maritime, as well as to inquire about the sanitary status of shellfish before fishing.

12:00 PM the Next Day, It’s Time to Eat!

After purging overnight in seawater, the shellfish have expelled the mud and sand they contained. It’s now time to cook them. We’re giving you the recipe for a delicious little dish, simple yet flavorful… Enjoy your meal!

Recipe: Pan-fried Cockles with Butter, Marinière Style

Ingredients (for 4 people):

• 2 kilograms of cockles
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 pink shallots
• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 15 cl dry white wine

Equipment:

• a Dutch oven
• a cutting board
• a sharp knife

Preparation:

• After soaking the cockles for 24 hours in seawater to purge them, rinse them with clear water.
• Peel and finely chop the garlic and shallots, and chop the parsley.
• Sauté everything in butter at the bottom of the Dutch oven before adding the cockles and white wine.
• Stir vigorously over high heat for 2 minutes, then lower the heat. Cook for 7 minutes.
• Serve hot.

Tip and Serving Suggestion:

During cooking, you can add a little Espelette pepper to enhance the dish.

For accompaniment, sautéed new potatoes, spaghetti, or simply buttered bread are perfect.