296
2
Role of Prud’homies
in Fisheries
Various marine species are exploited during their
seasonal concentrations at the coastal border or
further offshore (Féral 1977 ). Generally, fi shing
areas are cramped or inaccessible, the ocean bed
falls very rapidly to 800–1,000 m, and the coasts
are frequently windy. Some fi sheries are conducted in coastal ponds, and most species are
scarce. Multipurpose and various small-level
activities constitute the fi shermen’s lives.
These daily environmental variations require
almost immediate responses from prud’hommes:
to draw lots for fi shing stations; organize their
rotation between fi shermen; expresses it arouses
strong interest; resolve confl ict between different
trades; take precautions following heavy catches;
disseminate new technological innovations over
the untimely excesses of certain personalities, etc.
(Bonzon 2000 ). This local management justifi es
these various structures: 33 prud’homies share the
shoreline of Port-Vendres in Menton, including
Corsica. By itself, the local Fisheries Committee
Var covers eight prud’homies and six prud’homies
sections, totaling 200 fi shermen spread over
432 km of coastline.
3
Roles of Prud’homies
French Mediterranean coasts, with their strong
residential and tourist appeal, are subject to
intense navigation, constant coastal development,
and signifi cant risks of pollution. Throughout
history, prud’hommes have mobilized to preserve
the quality and extent of their fi shing grounds and
have therefore played – and continue to play – a
role in preserving coastal environments. It is this
longstanding history of land management and the
ability to adapt to contemporary problems that
may appear on the coastline that gives the institution its modernity. Further, the very small scales
on which they operate over the entire coastline
gives it a certain effi ciency.
Prud’homies are usually of modest means
(Marceille 1919 ). Internal management is based
on EU principles and are the fruit of lengthy
experience and understanding of a common maritime fi eld and resource. It is very important
indeed to establish and maintain harmonious
competition rules within the fi shing communities
of the same resource. In practice, they must educate and discipline fi shermen who are generally
poorly educated (in the school sense), often
temperamental, and working in a space where no
limit is realized. Land management sees the
prud’hommes involved with local authorities,
organizations in the maritime fi eld, or associations interested in the marine environment, which
employ prud’hommes in various projects.
Prud’hommes sometimes instigate some of these
projects. Their strength lies in their knowledge of
the maritime fi eld and their constant presence on
the water.
Currently, and in recent years, the future of
fi shing-related professions and the use of natural
marine resources, as well as the institutions
themselves, have been subject to hardships for
the sake of economic and political order.
With the industrialization of fi sheries in the
Mediterranean, which began in the 1960s, the
small-scale sector has managed to adapt by turning
to the capture and commercialization of extremespecifi c products (domestic sales of diverse fresh
products, hake, eel, etc.), moving away from the
less marketable species (sardines, anchovies, etc.)
that previously represented the bulk of the landings.
This shift related to the relative modernization of
small fl eets and fi shing gear, and was accompanied by a decrease in the number of fi shermen
and boats, further increased by the residential and
tourist specialization of coastal areas.
The second crisis experienced by this sector
since the 1980s relates to the constitution of the
whole EU and the economic and political
measures that accompanied it, at both European
and national levels.
At the national level, the mining sector of
coastal marine resources is assessed for general
measures such as license Commissioning
Operation (Permis de mise en Exploitation
C. Decugis
2
Role of Prud’homies
in Fisheries
Various marine species are exploited during their
seasonal concentrations at the coastal border or
further offshore (Féral 1977 ). Generally, fi shing
areas are cramped or inaccessible, the ocean bed
falls very rapidly to 800–1,000 m, and the coasts
are frequently windy. Some fi sheries are conducted in coastal ponds, and most species are
scarce. Multipurpose and various small-level
activities constitute the fi shermen’s lives.
These daily environmental variations require
almost immediate responses from prud’hommes:
to draw lots for fi shing stations; organize their
rotation between fi shermen; expresses it arouses
strong interest; resolve confl ict between different
trades; take precautions following heavy catches;
disseminate new technological innovations over
the untimely excesses of certain personalities, etc.
(Bonzon 2000 ). This local management justifi es
these various structures: 33 prud’homies share the
shoreline of Port-Vendres in Menton, including
Corsica. By itself, the local Fisheries Committee
Var covers eight prud’homies and six prud’homies
sections, totaling 200 fi shermen spread over
432 km of coastline.
3
Roles of Prud’homies
French Mediterranean coasts, with their strong
residential and tourist appeal, are subject to
intense navigation, constant coastal development,
and signifi cant risks of pollution. Throughout
history, prud’hommes have mobilized to preserve
the quality and extent of their fi shing grounds and
have therefore played – and continue to play – a
role in preserving coastal environments. It is this
longstanding history of land management and the
ability to adapt to contemporary problems that
may appear on the coastline that gives the institution its modernity. Further, the very small scales
on which they operate over the entire coastline
gives it a certain effi ciency.
Prud’homies are usually of modest means
(Marceille 1919 ). Internal management is based
on EU principles and are the fruit of lengthy
experience and understanding of a common maritime fi eld and resource. It is very important
indeed to establish and maintain harmonious
competition rules within the fi shing communities
of the same resource. In practice, they must educate and discipline fi shermen who are generally
poorly educated (in the school sense), often
temperamental, and working in a space where no
limit is realized. Land management sees the
prud’hommes involved with local authorities,
organizations in the maritime fi eld, or associations interested in the marine environment, which
employ prud’hommes in various projects.
Prud’hommes sometimes instigate some of these
projects. Their strength lies in their knowledge of
the maritime fi eld and their constant presence on
the water.
Currently, and in recent years, the future of
fi shing-related professions and the use of natural
marine resources, as well as the institutions
themselves, have been subject to hardships for
the sake of economic and political order.
With the industrialization of fi sheries in the
Mediterranean, which began in the 1960s, the
small-scale sector has managed to adapt by turning
to the capture and commercialization of extremespecifi c products (domestic sales of diverse fresh
products, hake, eel, etc.), moving away from the
less marketable species (sardines, anchovies, etc.)
that previously represented the bulk of the landings.
This shift related to the relative modernization of
small fl eets and fi shing gear, and was accompanied by a decrease in the number of fi shermen
and boats, further increased by the residential and
tourist specialization of coastal areas.
The second crisis experienced by this sector
since the 1980s relates to the constitution of the
whole EU and the economic and political
measures that accompanied it, at both European
and national levels.
At the national level, the mining sector of
coastal marine resources is assessed for general
measures such as license Commissioning
Operation (Permis de mise en Exploitation
C. Decugis