Résumé
In many Mediterranean coastal areas, agriculture, drinking water supply, tourism and industry strongly depend on groundwater resources. As a result of the significant economic development during the last three decades along the coast, abstractions from coastal aquifers have increased tremendously, frequently leading to overexploitation and saltwater intrusion. In such situations, policy makers try to reduce water abstraction well licensing, to set up quota or pricing and to increase alternative water supply. Geological, hydrogeological and socio-economical studies as a pluridisciplinary approach are then leaded in parallel on a coastal Mediterranean aquifer- the Roussillon - in order to design effective water management strategies on a sensitive area to seawater intrusion risk. Geology supplies geometry and architecture of the different aquifers, hydrogeology assess the seawater intrusion risk while socio-economic study conducts consultations stakeholders analysis in the aim of suggest water management and policy option acceptable for mostly. Results of a consultation of 35 interviews on the concerned area are given. This paper then highlights economic interests at stake, diversity of viewpoints expressed by stakeholders and political dimension of the issue, which are likely to be encountered for all similar situations on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.