A method for depolluting and regenerating a catalytic fuel-cell electrode, the reaction of the fuel of the cell and capture of at least one polluting species occurring on the catalytic electrode, comprises: a decrease, at a constant first reference current density, in fuel flow, relative to a nominal fuel flow, for a first length of time, leading to a value for the stoichiometric coefficient of fuel lower than 1, to increase oxidation potential on the catalytic electrode and reach oxidation potential of the polluting species, to eliminate it; a cut-off of current for a cut-off time; an increase in flow above nominal flow, leading to a value of stoichiometric coefficient higher than or equal to 1; and an increase in current density until a second current density chosen by operator and possibly identical to or different from the initial reference current density, is reached.