The objective of the PELGAS cruise is to monitor distribution and abundance of pelagic species fished in the Bay of Biscay, using two direct evaluation methods: acoustics and spawning estimates. The cruise was conducted in coordination with France, Spain and Portugal, in the framework of the European council regulations (EC No 1543/2000 of 29 June 2000 and No 1639/2001 of 25 July 2001).

Ecological study of coastal nurseries in the Bay of Biscay: abundance and the quality of benthic and demersal fish juveniles (targeted species: common sole, Solea solea L.), biological indicators, relationship with the physical parameters of the habitats (bathymetry, sediments, hydrology) and with associated epibenthic populations (trawls for observing invertebrates).

The annual PELMED (PELagiques MEDiterranée) fisheries resource assessment campaign is carried out by the Laboratoire Halieutique Méditerranée of the Ifremer station in Sète. The objectives of these cruises are : 1. Evaluate the biomass of small pelagic fish (anchovies, sardines) by direct method. For this, the campaign must alternate between acoustic prospecting and identification trawling. An acoustic signal is sent from a sounder fixed under the vessel and each time it encounters the bottom or schools of fish, it is reflected and retransmitted to the sounder. In this way, the shape and intensity of these echoes that materialize the schools of fish can be observed continuously. Species identification trawls are carried out in order to define the proportion of species present in the echoes detected. 2. Collecting as many biological parameters as possible on the target species of small pelagics (anchovies, sardines, sprats) to better understand the population dynamics of these species. For this purpose, morphometric measurements, as well as the determination of the sex and maturity stage of the fish are carried out. Finally, otoliths are taken in order to determine the age of the fish. These biological parameters are very important to complete the biomass assessment and have a better understanding of the processes underlying the variability of these populations. This allows for example to determine the age structure or size structure of the populations, to have an idea of their energy reserves, etc. 3. To better understand the pelagic ecosystem as a whole, from plankton to top predators. The primary goal of the PELMED cruise is to evaluate small pelagic stocks, but it also aims to accumulate as much data as possible on the different compartments of the pelagic ecosystem, from physical parameters (temperature, salinity) to top predators (marine mammals, birds), through the different lower trophic levels (phyto- and zooplankton, small pelagic fish). Thus, after each trawling, a hydrological station is carried out with the measurement of temperature and salinity along the water column via a CTD, water and phytoplankton samples with a Niskin bottle and zooplankton samples using a vertical line of WP2. Finally, throughout the campaign we carry out the observation and counting of birds and marine mammals. In addition to the understanding of the ecosystem, this should provide a number of indicators necessary for monitoring the marine environment under the MSFD (Marine Framework Directive).

The observation of ecosystems by Ifremer's Fisheries Information System (SIH) is based on a network of sea cruises. It aims to assess the state of stocks of the various species fished in France and Europe. It also enables the characterisation of the marine ecosystem in which the populations evolve. 23 scientific cruises take place each year at sea, enabling data to be collected for more than 30 years for the oldest. Thanks to the use of standardised fishing gear, the data acquired each year on board scientific vessels or professional fishing vessels contribute to the calculation of the index of abundance, with thousands of fish taken during timed trawls. The fish are measured and their age is assessed by measuring their otoliths (small bones located in the inner ear of the fish).

As part of the implementation of the monitoring programme of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the monitoring of demersal fish and cephalopods in coastal soft environments was deemed a priority. Annual observation campaigns of coastal nurseries on soft bottoms were carried out by the Laboratoire Halieutique Méditerranée of the Ifremer station in Sète. The objectives of these campaigns are 1. To evaluate the density, biomass and distribution of fish and cephalopods by trawling, in particular benthic and demersal juveniles (red mullet, gurnard). To do this, around one hundred standardised trawl surveys were carried out over the entire coastal strip of the Gulf of Lion situated between 5m and 40m depth. 2. To systematically measure the size of the individuals collected in order to characterise the importance of the nursery function in the areas observed and to better understand the population dynamics of local species. 3. To gain a better understanding of the coastal zone ecosystem by systematically identifying all the species encountered (including benthic and pelagic invertebrates other than fish and cephalopods), the macro-waste observed and by characterising their hydrological habitats (CTD, oxygen, fluorescence, pH, turbidity, etc.).

CGFS cruise aims to collect basic data to estimate the status of fisheries resources, by direct assessment of stock abundance and distribution, along with biological sampling of commercial catches. The CGFS campaign is carried out within the framework of this programme in the European project Contractualisation of Basic Fishery Data Collection (DCF). The abundance indices collected during this campaign are used by the ICES international working group "Demersal fisheries of the North Sea, Eastern Channel and Skagerrak" and complement the data from the English "Beam Trawl Survey" for the "Flatfish" working group.

The COMOR cruises, which took place on the Thalia, aim to assess the abundance of the scallop stock (and if necessary to determine the presence of toxic algae) in the Seine Bay.

The French national network (REMI) includes a regular monitoring system and a warning system: - The regular monitoring system checks that the level of microbiological contamination in each production area remains within the limits set by the classification defined in the prefectural decree and tests unusual occurrences of contamination. - The warning system is triggered when results of the monotoring programme exceed or are at risk of exceeding the norms defining the quality classes and thresholds, or in case of contamination risk (pollution spillage, storms, etc.), or even in the case of a suspected or confirmed epidemic in shellfish.