La recherche scientifique face à la pêche artisanale = Research and small-scale fisheries

The aim of the analysis is to define the role of multiple activity and external sources of incomes in the operation and productivity of the shelfish culture units on the Etang de Thau, a coastal mediterranean lagoon. 52% of operators have other sources of income, in 71% of cases this is from fishing. There are two main problems : defining economic units and making an inventory of external monetary and non monetary incomes so as to lay down some criteria of multiple activity. Multiple activity appears to be correlated with the level of mechanization, the indebtedness and the age and educational level of operator. However, multiple activity is not a discriminant variable of the operator population. On the other hand the spouse's contribution to the incorme seems to play a specific role according to the size of the unit : it is a socio-cultural adjusment factor for large scale units and a means of a survival in small units. (Résumé d'auteur)