THE GEOGRAPHIC-DISTRIBUTION OF FRESH-WATE R FISHES IN FRANCE - WHICH ARE NATIVE AND WHICH ARE NOT

The major changes observed in the French freshwater fish fauna during the last decades incited us, first, to set up the present state (Atlas of the freshwater fishes iri France) and, secondly, to promote a mana gement policy in accordance with the protection: of the natural herita ge. However, this last notion remains to be defined. Indeed, the prese nt changes are the last of a long series, in which man has been a chie f actor for a much longer time than usually believed. Consequently, ma ny of the assumed French species have probably no true patrimonial val ue in many of our fluvial catchments. The aim of the present paper is to show the broad scope of this problem and to appeal to the scientifi c community for gathering information and developing investigations wi thin an accurate geographical and temporal frame.