The history of the Workers’ Tribunals is an old one as they existed already in the XIVth century. Texts proves that this profession was organised within the brotherhood of Saint-Pierre; they had received the authorisation to sell their fish and regulate their own activities. Right in the early days of the Revolution, on 8th December 1790, Mirabeau spoke at the National Assembly, on behalf of the fishermen of Marseilles, promulgating the right of fishermen to establish their own professional tribunal. In a short while, this privilege would be granted to other ports and on 24th July 1791, the Tribunal of the Fishing patrons of Gruissan was established. (...)

Before solemnly taking the oath in front of the Assembly, the candidate must be elected with an absolute majority, have been a patron for at least five years, the first among them to have attained at least 35 years of age and have exercised the function of second or third in command during a mandate. At present, the tribunals have difficulty finding amongst themselves a candidate for the post of head of the tribunal who both fulfils these conditions and accepts the responsibility, since he must, for three years, take on the voluntary work of defending and representing local fishing besides exercising his taxing profession. The study of available texts indicate that, born of the Revolution, these institutions have preserved all the initial characteristics: democracy, equality of opportunity, the right of a man to work and live off his profession, with due respect for nature, and therefore the protection of resources, and with the cohesion of the community always uppermost in consideration. To attain these objectives, the heads of tribunals were given certain powers.

• Regulatory power: one of the peculiarities of the tribunals’ regulations is their extremely quick creation, since all it requires is a general meeting, a vote and entry in a register to be immediately applicable.

• The power of judgement and policing: the tribunals and the assembly arbitrate disputes between member fishermen, and also disputes between fishermen and those under other professional tribunals. This profession, that makes its judgement in camera prefers to "wash its dirty linen" within the family rather that take recourse to another tribunal that would be extremely ignorant about their habits and customs. The sentences could range from a simple fine to the confiscation of the net or tackle and its auctioned sale to the benefit of the tribunal, the prohibition from participating in a certain kind of fishing, or in serious cases (theft), exclusion after notifying the governing authorities, the Administration of Maritime Affairs.

• The power of intervention: the tribunals may intervene in anything that concerns the maritime field. They try to ensure the defence of the territory, the quality of aquatic milieu in the face of numerous intrusions from new players, amateur fishermen, wind surfers... They try to defend the interests of the corporation by challenging the different administrations. They are consulted a great deal by the Maritime Affairs, the town-halls, the Civil and Public Works Departments, both for development plans and public enquiries...

• The power of autonomous management: Amongst its activities, the tribunal creates and manages common equipment like warehouses, drying areas, electricity, the harbour waters and a petrol pump station distributing tax-free fuel. It maintains the sites that belong to it, conserves its archives, paintings and statues, particularly those of Saint-Pierre, which once a year, participates in the procession on the occasion of the fishermen’s feast.

Francois Marty
Fisherman in Gruissan, France

"We the wives of Mediterranean fishermen..." Jeanne, Rosalie, Martine, Josee, Fanny, Dominique, Raymonde, Therese, Chantal Here is a book with nine voices, here are nine original pens immersed in their simple and original truths. They tell their stories. They write. They speak of their men, of their men and themselves - their life together, where each needs the other to snatch something from the sea or from their clients to live or survive from day to day. They write to defend themselves: to be recognised, they the wives of fishermen, who have no rights. And also to defend their men; so that the profession chosen by their men and these wives does not die. Because they do not accept a future where they would be condemned to disappear. They are present in the text, incredibly alive, diverse and united. Each has her personality, her story, her own words. But they all have in common a pride in this profession whose harshness, beauty and dignity they describe. A profession of choice, loved with a passion. A profession where these women feel indispensable. "Paroles de femmes" (Wives’ tales), Paris, 1997, 180pgs. INDIGO & Cote-femmes Publications/FPH coll.

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