Co-Management of the Côte Bleue Marine Park: 35 Years of Partnership with Small-Scale Fisheries
Côte Bleue, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Established in 1983, the Côte Bleue Marine Park in southern France demonstrates how long-term collaboration between local authorities and small-scale fishers can successfully balance marine biodiversity protection with sustainable fisheries. Through co-management, no-take reserves, artificial reefs, and community engagement, the park has achieved measurable ecological recovery and strong social acceptance.
The Côte Bleue coastal region of France faced declining fish stocks and conflicts between professional and recreational fishers. Unsustainable practices threatened marine biodiversity, while small-scale fishers risked losing livelihoods. In response, local authorities and fishers sought a collaborative model to safeguard ecosystems and secure sustainable fisheries, combining conservation with socioeconomic needs.
- Established two permanent no-take reserves, legally recognised as fisheries reserves.
- Installed artificial reefs (4,884 m³) to boost fish production and prevent illegal trawling.
- Maintained high levels of enforcement (2,400+ hours annually).
- Achieved strong fisher engagement, with 82% trust and 77% support for management.
- Delivered measurable ecological outcomes: fish biomass and catch rates increased significantly.
- Ran extensive education programmes, reaching over 27,000 children.
- Achieved international recognition, including IUCN Green List status and Natura 2000 designation.
- 1983: Marine Park created.
- 1994: Education visits started.
- 2014: Re-conduction of two no-take reserves.
The project combined strict protection measures, such as no-take reserves, with active fisher engagement and artificial reef deployment to restore marine ecosystems and secure small-scale fisheries. The intervention emphasised continuous dialogue, co-management, and enforcement, while also investing in environmental education and scientific research to strengthen legitimacy and long-term impact
Intervention details
The Côte Bleue Marine Park introduced two no-take reserves (295 ha) that became permanent in 2014, legally recognised as fisheries reserves at the request of fishers themselves. Artificial reefs (4,884 m³) were installed to enhance fish habitats and prevent illegal trawling. Enforcement was prioritised, with more than 2,400 patrol hours annually ensuring compliance. Monitoring programmes, including fish census and habitat studies, documented significant ecological gains over two decades. Continuous engagement with professional fishers, both formally and informally, was central to success, fostering trust and co-ownership of decisions. Education was embedded from the start, with over 27,000 students exposed to marine ecosystems through week-long field courses. Public engagement extended through underwater trails and guided visits since 1994. The Park also contributed to scientific knowledge, conducting around 45 monitoring and research programmes that informed broader Mediterranean conservation policy. Recognition by IUCN (Green List), SPAMI designation in 2012, and Natura 2000 inclusion in 2009 validated the park’s governance and conservation achievements.
Key stakeholders
- Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB)
- Professional small-scale fishers and local fishermen organizations (Prud’homies of Marseille and Martigues)
- Local municipalities (mayors of five villages)
- Regional and departmental elected representatives
- EU scientific programme FishMPABlue2
- IUCN
- Natura 2000 network and Barcelona convention
Financial metrics
Funding sources
- Information not available
Budget
- Information not available
Environmental
- Deployment of 4,884 m³ of artificial reefs.
- Over 2,400 hours of annual enforcement in no-take reserves.
- Fish mean weight increased by 2.5 times (111 g in 1995 to 280 g in 2016).
- Catch per unit effort (CPUE) rose from 1.08 kg/100 m in 1995 to 5.46 kg/100 m in 2013.
- Fishing captures multiplied fivefold over 21 years.
Social
- 82% trust and 77% support among fishers, compared with 40% in other Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) studied.
- More than 27,000 children reached through environmental education programmes.
- Underwater trail established for visitors and tourists since 1994.
Economic
- Recreational fisheries harvest about 53 tonnes/year, similar to professional fisheries (60 tonnes/year).
- Recreational fishing is fast-growing and uses high-performance technologies, yet it has not been taken into account in fisheries resource management.
- Competition and conflict risks are high because recreational and professional fishers harvest the same territory, species, and seasons, particularly for high-prized target species (e.g., large Sparidae); the quantities harvested by recreational fishing are described as inducing conflicts of interest.
- Balancing biodiversity protection with stakeholder interests demands continuous dialogue.
- Embedding fishers in governance builds trust and ensures long-term compliance with conservation measures.
- Bottom-up, co-constructed approaches can secure renewal and expansion of no-take reserves.
- Continuous monitoring and transparent communication underpin social acceptance and stakeholder support.
- Balancing professional and recreational fishing requires structured dialogue to manage competing resource pressures and prevent conflict.
For Reference
- Charbonnel, E. and Parc Marin Côte Bleue, 2020. The Cote Bleue Marine Park: a success story in co-construction with small scale fisheries since 35 years. PANORAMA - Solutions for a Healthy Planet, ISSN 2511-7475. Web link: Accessed on January 27, 2026.
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