. ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁robust ▁nature ▁and ▁ease ▁of ▁cultiv ation ▁the ▁Pacific ▁o yst ers , ▁Cr ass ost rea ▁gig as , ▁account ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 5 ▁percent ▁of ▁Europe ' s ▁o yst er ▁production . ▁ ▁European ▁flat ▁o yst ers ▁are ▁fam ously ▁grown ▁in ▁Brit t any , ▁France . ▁The ▁true ▁Bel on ▁o yst er ▁is ▁cultiv ated ▁in ▁the ▁Bel on ▁River , ▁France , ▁and ▁has ▁the ▁A OC ▁protected ▁name . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Dutch ▁scient ists ▁artificial ly ▁introduced ▁Bel on ▁o yst er ▁seed ▁into ▁the ▁waters ▁around ▁Maine ▁in ▁hopes ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁vi able ▁stock . ▁The ▁initial ▁project ▁was ▁abandoned ▁but ▁ten ▁years ▁later ▁natural ▁colon ies ▁of ▁flat ▁o yst ers ▁were ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁wild . ▁Many ▁North ▁American ▁supp liers ▁use ▁the ▁name ▁' Bel on ' ▁to ▁species ▁that ▁are ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁wild ▁throughout ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Ost rea ▁ed ul is ▁is ▁now ▁also ▁being ▁mar icult ured ▁in ▁the ▁states ▁of ▁California , ▁Maine , ▁and ▁Washington ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁species ▁once ▁domin ated ▁European ▁o yst er ▁production ▁but ▁disease , ▁poll ution , ▁and ▁over f ishing ▁sharp ly ▁reduced ▁the ▁har vest . ▁ ▁U . S . ▁o yst er ▁grow ers ▁farm ▁O . ▁ed ul is ▁in ▁small ▁quantities ▁on ▁both ▁coast s . ▁They ▁are ▁pri zed ▁for