REBUILDING THE SCALLOP FISHERY IN ST. BRIEUC BAY, FRANCE – 1 REBUILDING FISHERIES © OECD 2012 REBUILDING THE SCALLOP FISHERY

This draft paper presents the rebuilding strategy for the scallop fishery in St. Brieuc Bay in France from the 1970‟s to 2009. This is a successful case of rebuilding in both ecological and economic terms while from a social perspective; co-management has been used in the design and development of the rebuilding framework. This case also illustrates the results of effective collaboration between researchers and fishers in terms of finding a good balance between rebuilding stocks and ensuring the profitability of fishing firms. The St. Brieuc Bay scallop fishery is currently one of the best managed fisheries in France and a case study for environmental economics researchers and teachers in France and the rest of Europe. However, this case did not only yield successful outcomes, as rebuilding required reform of the fisheries management system that resulted in a number of ecological, social and economic trade-offs. This paper first provides details about the biology and exploitation of scallops. Section 2 describes the history of rebuilding, prior to the development of a strategy in 1973, and actions undertaken in recent years. Third, the paper focuses on the key economic aspects of the rebuilding strategy developed in St. Brieuc Bay. Fourth, socia