France

Marine Protected Areas in France

Mainland Metropolitan France has a coastline of 5,500 km. The west coast along the English Channel/North Sea and Atlantic Ocean is 3,600 km, while the coast along the Mediterranean is 1,700 km [1]. The Exclusive Economic Zone of Metropolitan France is approximately 334,604 sq km [2]. The French Economic Exclusive Zone including overseas departments and territories is approximately 11,035,000 sq km [2].

France utilizes both international and national policy to establish areas that protect marine ecosystems. The World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA) currently lists 90 sites within France that provide some protection for marine life and ecosystems. According to the French Marine Protected Areas Agency (MPAA), there are seven categories of Marine Protected Areas in the waters of mainland France. These include, Site Natura 2000, National Nature Reserve, Iroise Marine Nature Park (Atlantic), Port Cros National Park (Mediterranean), Coastal Conservatory’s Marine Public Domain, Biotope Protection Decrees and Blue Coast Park (local stakeholders) [1]. Combined, including proposed Natura 2000 projected sites, these MPAs extend over 11,912 sq km. Additional designations listed in the WDPA include: Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar), World Heritage Site, UNESCO’s- Man and the Biosphere Reserve, Fishery Reserve, Corsican Nature Reserve, Special Protection Areas (Birds Directive) and Site of Community Interest (Habitats Directive) [1].

Long-term goals for France’s MPA program are driven by region- and country-wide policies in the Mediterranean and Atlantic arc. France and other countries along the Mediterranean and Atlantic arc will likely continue to work within their own on countries, and through trans-boundary coordination to fulfill region-wide objectives. Future actions include, but are not limited to, extending the Natura 2000 network in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on the coasts of the English Channel and the North sea, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean [1, 3, 4, 5].

Sources

[1] Bellan G., Dauvin J.C and Bellan-Santini D. 2010. Knowledge, protection, conservation and management of the marine domain: the example of the mainland French coast. The Open Conservation Biology Journal. 4: 9-18.

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_economic_zone

[3] www.medpan.org

[4] www.maia-network.org

[5] Natura 2000 http://www.natura.org/