Crise de la production des coques (Cerastoderma edule ) en baie de Somme. 1. Synthese des connaissances biologiques.

In this paper, the results collected since 1978 on the cockle (Cerastoderma edule) in the Bay of Somme have been recapitulated. A synthesis is brought up about causes of the bivalve population collapse which was portended as early as 1982 from the animal cinetics study. In order to back up the discussion, the main results dealing with the biology and ecology of the species are recalled in illustrated form. A review of the international literature leads to a comment upon the diagrams. A comparison with data from European estuaries tends to take climatic and oceanic disturbances into account as well as local pollution such as eutrophication which is probable on the littoral of Picardy.