An assessment of the reared stocks of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas ) has been recently conducted on the major French areas of molluscs culture. The methodology proposed included both estimates of densities obtained by subsampling in the field, and aerial photographs which covered the cultivated, intertidal area. The size and the number of samples were designed to reach a precision of 10% on the final assessment in each area. The field work consisted in weighing and counting the oyster in unit areas of 0.5 m2 for the bottom culture or in trays or bags, for the off bottom technique. These results give a better knowledge of the technique evolution and of the general structures in the cultivated areas.