Le stock de Lambi (Strombus gigas, L.) en Martinique : analyse de la situation 1986-1987, modélisation de l'exploitation, options d'aménagement

The stock of Lambi, Strombus gigas (gastropod: strombidae), coastal benthic resource, has been exploited artisanally since the prehistoric period in Martinique. Nowadays, three lines of work exploit the species: free diving, nets (since the middle of the century) and scuba diving since 1985. This report presents the activity of each line of work, surveyed directly from 1986 to 1987: fishing zones and resource allocation, production, effort and performance, detail of catches (by length). The socio economic characteristics of the lambi fishermen are studied. The significant production of leisure fishing is also estimated. The decrease in the production and performance, as well as the lowering of the size of the first catch for about thirty years show that the stock is overexploited. The biological phenomenon of the stock: growth of the shell (length and shell lip), growth in weight, acquiring of sexual maturity, natural mortality are studied. The factors of mortality through fishing are estimated by class of length for the current exploitation regime by pseudo-cohort analysis. If the results confirm that the stock is overexploited, the level of overexploitation of the stock cannot be specified because of the presence of a number of lipped adults not yet too exploited in water deeper than 20 metres. The analysis of the dynamic process of the exploited population indicates two ways to the production of the stock: the forcing of the recruitment and the regulation of the exploitation regime. The lack of economic profitability of the production of juveniles over 30 mm and the difficulties raised by their collection in their natural habitat lead to the rationalization of the exploitation. The production and performance (by recruits) simulations performed for different exploitation regimens indicate that the only two conceivable options are the introduction of a minimum catch size, i.e. lambi with forming lip, and the regulation of the fishing effort. The socio-economic implications of the introduction of the determined management measures show that their applicability level is very low, because of the Martinique fishermen polyactivity, their low socio-economic level and mostly because of the free access to the resource. As a consequence, it is suggested to create new professional structures with a wide jurisdiction, in order to locally manage the marine areas, their use and their resources. (unverified OCR)