This standard lists references for 2 types of equipment categories:

1. Professional fishing gear. This list of gear is based on the FAO's reference system for fishing gear, which is itself based on the International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishing Gear (ISSCFG). It comprises 2 hierarchical levels. It has been extended to meet national needs by integrating data that are not referenced in the international reference systems (e.g. glass eel sieves). This reference system is used for statistical purposes.

Mesh size and dimensional parameters are associated with this reference system in order to meet the constraints of the regulations. These minimum and maximum limits make it possible to ensure a control when entering and validating the observation data. In addition, to limit data entry errors, the gears can be regionalised according to sea areas or regions. Thus, a metier observed only in the Mediterranean could not be entered in French Guiana.

Historically, the first codification of gears by the French Merchant Navy dates from 1971 and is based on the international codification of the International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishing Gear (CSITEP/ISSCFG) adopted the same year by the coordination working group on fisheries statistics in the Atlantic. In 1981, the classification of the Centre National des Traitements Statistiques (CNTS) was introduced and was defined according to hierarchical criteria such as the mobility of the gear, the basic use, the nature of the products collected, etc. The gear codes had three main components: the gear code, the gear code and the gear code. The gear codes were three characters long (e.g. 931 - Bottom otter trawl (1 vessel)). This national reference system had one correspondence with the FAO classification of fishing gear categories and another with the CSITEP.

In 2009, France changed its reference system to use the international FAO reference system. This new reference system has a 3-letter codification and comes from the classification of fishing gear categories established from the FAO document "Technical Document on Fisheries No 222" by C. Nédélec, Fisheries Technology Service, Fishing Industries Division. This document was originally designed to be used by fisheries statisticians. It closely follows the 1971 IPHC.

In 2016, the ISFSC/SITEP was updated http://www.fao.org/3/bt988e/bt988e.pdf. It was adopted by the SIH and DPMA in 2021. http://www.fao.org/cwp-on-fishery-statistics/handbook/capture-fisheries-statistics/fishing-gear-classification/en/ and http://www.fao.org/3/bt988e/bt988e.pdf.

2. Sampling gear is referenced in Genavir's sensor and acquisition system monitoring and management database called MADIDA "Mise A Disposition d'Informations sur les Données Acquises". Each gear is the subject of a very precise record allowing the fishing gear to be checked before the campaign at sea. A link with the CSITEP classification is made for each sampling gear. In addition, other scientific sampling gear is listed, such as the Hamon grab for benthos or CTD probes for measuring environmental parameters.

For professional fishing gear, the reference systems are updated by the manager according to changes in the international reference system and in consultation with Ifremer and DPMA experts. On the other hand, the gear for oceanographic campaigns is managed according to requests.