Posidonia takes its name from « Poseidon, » the god of the Seas and Oceans in Greek mythology. It is a flowering plant that only lives in the Mediterranean Sea. It
benefits from legal protection in many Mediterranean countries, including France, where the meadows it forms cover 34% of the seabed along the mainland and 66% along Corsica between 0 and 40 m deep.
Despite protection measures, Posidonia meadows remain under physical pressure from human activities even though they provide us with many goods and services. In the Mediterranean basin, they have lost 10% of their area over the past 100 years. In France, the loss in goods and benefits is estimated at over four billion euros each year. The anchoring of boats is responsible for physical damage to sensitive marine habitats like posidonia. This led the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean to reinforce mooring regulations on our coastline in 2021. This measure, targeting vessels over 24 meters, was seen as a strong constraint and a deprivation of freedom by some yachting professionals.
If this reaction is understandable, nevertheless, the international, European, and national obligations to maintain the integrity of coastal marine habitats, including Posidonia meadows, are mandatory. We have no choice but to protect them by deploying technical means to ensure compliance with these obligations. The DONIA application allows mooring without impacting sensitive habitats. Light anchoring zones (ZMEL) are being installed along the coast. Mooring buoys for large units are available. Since 2021, the area of meadows impacted by the anchoring of pleasure boats > 24 m has decreased from 450 hectares to 100 hectares in 2024, a reduction of 78%.
The destruction of meadows by anchors is greatly reduced. Nonetheless, some repeat captains continue to anchor in prohibited areas. If identified by maritime authorities, they may face a double legal procedure resulting in a fine for non-compliance with mooring regulations and, recently, a second penalty for repairing the ecological damage caused by the destruction of this legally protected plant. A conviction is always a failure in ecological terms. It often means that the damage to nature has been done.
With a little attention, perspective, and kindness, in a few years, we might end up saying » But how could we do and accept this for years? «
Text: Pierre Boissery
Images: Nicolas Barraqué
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