L'etang de Salses-Leucate ses principaux caracteres physico-chimiques et leurs variations (en 1955-1956 et de 1960 à 1968)

In presenting the activities of the Scientific and Technical Institute of Marine Fisheries (ISTPM), J. Furnestin, its director, recalled that according to law, the Institute's mission consists of carrying out "any research or study in marine science that directly or indirectly concerns marine fisheries and related fishing industries". Commenting on this definition, he insisted on the fact that marine organisms completely depend on their environment and its variations; "understanding the marine environment", he concluded, "is the basis of all research carried out at the Institute" (Furnestin, 1964a). In another publication, on "Scientific Fisheries", the director of ISTPM noted that there was no fundamental difference between fisheries oceanography and general oceanography. "Fisheries oceanography has the same goals, but sets itself apart not only by generating knowledge but also by setting deadlines and specific practical goals for fisheries research, because the fishing profession—and society in general—expects results and solutions to their urgent needs" (Furnestin, 1964b). This presentation is squarely situated in this context, as much by its objectives and its methods as by the results already acquired. In ISTPM's general programme of research, shellfish farming laboratories are dedicated to research on improving or developing edible shellfish cultivation. More specifically, studies done in the Salses-Leucate Lagoon were carried out to explore the possibility of shellfish farming. When the study began in 1955, no other thorough and continuous study had been carried out in this lagoon. This lagoon is characterised by extremely variable and complex dynamics and it was impossible to determine with certainty beforehand the chances of establishing successful shellfish farms. ... (unverified OCR)