To what extent can eco-labelling become a durable instrument for managing natural resources and the environment ? Having analysed the concept and the issues, this article will evaluate, using a case study, its appropriateness for the long-term management of a particular small Breton fishery. The analysis will focus particularly on the existence of the consumer willingness to pay a supplement for eco-labelled fish. From an econometric model, the author will clarify the factors which could explain to a significant degree, this predisposition to pay. This empirical study uses several surveys, some of which were carried out over the course of 2006 in Brittany and involved around 450 consumers. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.