It is a bivalve found on loose sandy bottoms, generally between 20 and 50 meters depth, and is present in European temperate waters from the Norwegian coastline to northern Spain [1]. Its exploitation is subject to a strictly regulated fishery, the aim of which is to preserve the stock to maintain this fishery. Indeed, it is the department where the largest deposit in France is located, with about ha Figure 2.
Three distinct zones are exploited in the Saint-Brieuc Bay, the main deposit called "of the Bay", the offshore deposit and the Nerput deposit. In this area, scallop exploitation has truly restarted after the decline of the stock of clams in the early s, with the rediscovery of the deposit. The fishing takes place on a deposit that experiences high interannual variability [4]. Hence, a scientific monitoring by Ifremer has been set up to better understand the stock and adjust fishing effort to the available resource.
In addition to this is a regulatory framework, originally established by the professionals, which includes a licensing system to control access to the resource. This fishery is seasonal approximately from October to April so as not to disrupt reproduction, and involves ships for the campaign. Ships gather scallops using fishing dredges, the characteristics of which are determined by local regulations a maximum two dredges on board.
The Great Atlantic scallop fishery in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc is based on a regulatory system that is managed collectively at the request of the fishermen since the s [6]. It is the first fishery of importance in the English Channel for which a dedicated mechanism was created in order to attempt to limit the number of ships [7]. From the onset, the fishermen have recognised the importance of managing the resource, which resulted in the establishment of a governance based on co-management with the involvement of professionals, scientific support and the collaboration of the authorities in charge of fisheries management.
In this system, predominant in France within territorial waters, the resource management initiative originates mainly from these local users. These are occupational institutions. Decision-making is participatory, thus giving stakeholders the opportunity to voice their positions. Fishermen thereby enjoy a degree of autonomy because they hold some control over the management of the fishery [8].
