Global conservation policy requires the scaling up of effectively and equitably managed networks ... more Global conservation policy requires the scaling up of effectively and equitably managed networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). While progress has been made on spatial coverage, the fundamental aspects of effectiveness and equity are falling short. Past research has focused on management effectiveness in MPAs, but less attention has been given to social equity though it is an ethical imperative and instrumental to conservation. This study assessed the perceptions of SSF regarding recognitional, procedural and distributional dimensions of social equity using quantitative surveys in 11 MPAs across 6 countries on the Mediterranean Sea. To do so, we developed individual indicators from which we created composite scores for recognitional, procedural, and distributional equity, and a combined social equity score. Overall, descriptive results showed that SSF perceptions of social equity were quite varied but slightly skewed towards positive perceptions. Then, we developed predictive models to analyze the effects of geographic (i.e., MPA and country) and individual (i.e., SSF demographics and characteristics) factors on the composite social equity scores. All social equity scores differed significantly between MPAs. Being an older fisher was associated with a decrease in recognitional equity, while having a higher level of relative wealth or more diversified livelihoods was associated with higher scores for distributional equity. These results point to the need for tailored management actions to improve equity in different MPA sites and for different groups. This paper presents a novel quantitative method for using
Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - Diderot, 2020
The aim of the European program life Integrated Project Environment (IPE) MarHa (2018-2025) is to... more The aim of the European program life Integrated Project Environment (IPE) MarHa (2018-2025) is to restore and sustain the favorable conservation status of marine natural habitats in French Natura 2000 sites. In this context, Ecosystem Service Assessments (ESA) are carried out at various French sites including the Bay of Marseille (Provence, France). First, we applied the TrIAGE methodology: a strategic assessment of the issues with experts of the area (local MPA managers and scientists). TrIAGE raises two main concerns: (i) the intensification of recreational uses (by both residents and visitors), and (ii) the conservation of Posidonia oceanica (linnaeus) Delile, 1813 seagrass meadows. In order to address both issues, we selected two adapted methodologies based on the strategic assessment: (i) a study oriented toward understanding the demand for ecosystem services (focused on recreational activities), and (ii) a study of the capacity of P. oceanica meadows to deliver ecosystem services using state-and-transition modeling. The objective of this work is to present the ESA process, from the strategic assessment to the analysis results. we focus on the study of the capacity of P. oceanica seagrass meadows to provide ecosystem services. State and transition models consist in defining alternative states of the habitat based on ecological indicators, identifying the bundle of services associated with each state and identifying transition vectors capable of explaining the shifts between each state. State-and-transition models can be very powerful frameworks for integrating multiple functions and services delivered by ecosystems while accounting for their temporal dynamics.
The overexploitation of fishery resources has led to a major fisheries crisis. In this context, a... more The overexploitation of fishery resources has led to a major fisheries crisis. In this context, artisanal fisheries, and in particular small-scale coastal fisheries, appear as relevant alternatives for a sustainable use of coastal resources. Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are more and more used as management tools for these fisheries, as protection effects and targeted access regulations may benefit to commercial fishers. Managers and scientists need then quantitative information not only to adapt their management to the fishing activity present on their territory, but also to estimate the effects of MPA management on it. This study provides catch and effort estimates that are essential for appraising and managing the artisanal fishery in the Côte Bleue Marine Park (CBMP), a French Mediterranean MPA including two No-Take Zones of different age and size. A field protocol was defined and implemented between July 2009 and June 2010 within the CBMP. Seven métiers were identified and characterized by target species, gear type, fishing grounds and fishing periods. During the one-year studied period, 3512 fishing trips and 4645 fishing operations were performed by 30 active boats in the Côte Bleue fishing territory, amounting to 9500 km of immersed nets. In total, approximately 130 tons of catch were landed in the six CBMP harbors, out of which 58% depend on the three main species caught on the Côte Bleue: hake (Merluccius merluccius), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and common sole (Solea solea). The presented methodology could be part of a long term monitoring requiring close collaboration with local fishers. It enables adaptive management with respect to changes in fishing pressure (from inside and outside the MPA) that may impact the environment and its resources
arrivée sur les côtes méditerranéennes françaises du poisson-lapin lessepsien Siganus luridus. De... more arrivée sur les côtes méditerranéennes françaises du poisson-lapin lessepsien Siganus luridus. Deux individus de Siganus luridus (rüppell, 1829) ont été capturés par des pêcheurs à Sausset-les-Pins, à proximité de Marseille, le premier le 9 juillet et le second le 27 septembre 2008. Ceci constitue une extension considérable de l'aire de distribution de cette espèce lessepsienne en Méditerranée, où les populations les plus nord-occidentales étaient connues en Sicile et dans le détroit de Sicile. l'origine de ces individus n'est pas clairement établie, bien qu'ils puissent être arrivés avec des eaux de ballast d'un bateau venant de Méditerranée orientale, de mer rouge ou du sud-ouest de l'océan indien. la possibilité d'une migration naturelle depuis une population lointaine, comme celle de Sicile, est également discutée.
Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system ... more Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system requires the implementation of a battery of indicators of governance. This governance must take into account both the internal dynamics of the system and the threats coming from the system environment. As part of a research project funded by the French Ministry of Ecology, (Liteau program), 4 coral reef MPAs were selected as pilote studies (St Martin in the Caribbean, Reunion and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, the South Lagoon of New Caledonia in Oceania) to develop jointly between scientists and managers of MPAs governance indicators. The approach is definitely bottom up. It is based on the co-construction of indicators. In that way, the views of the scientists who bring their knowledge of governance and ICZM were crossed with the views of MPA managers who bring their field knowledge and specific requests relating to the management of their MPAs. The process was conducted in 5 steps which...
This study evaluates the fishing pressure exerted by the most common recreational and professiona... more This study evaluates the fishing pressure exerted by the most common recreational and professional, small-scale fishing practices on vulnerable target and bycatch species in coastal and offshore waters of the western Mediterranean. By combining multiple data sources, we assembled a unique dataset on catches at multiple sites in these areas by recreational (RF) and small-scale fisheries (SSF), covering the period from 1997 to 2015. Furthermore, a framework with which to identify the vulnerable species among all the species caught is provided; it is based on the IUCN Red List, international conventions for the protection of flora and fauna, the Habitats Directive and the intrinsic vulnerability index of marine fish. Overall, about a quarter of exploited species targeted by SSF and RF in coastal waters were vulnerable, making up nearly 50% of the total SSF catch and nearly 20% of the total recreational catch. In offshore waters, 100% of the RF and SSF catch was made up of vulnerable sp...
A new method based on photographic sampling coupled with in situ observations was applied to 53 s... more A new method based on photographic sampling coupled with in situ observations was applied to 53 stations along the French Mediterranean coast, to assess the integrity of coralligenous reefs affected by different levels of anthropogenic pressure. The conservation state of the assemblages characterizing these habitats was then assessed by an index - the INDEX-COR - that integrates three metrics: (i) the sensitivity of the taxa to organic matter and sediment deposition, (ii) the observable taxonomic richness, and (iii) the structural complexity of the assemblages. The sensitivity of INDEX-COR was tested and showed good correlation with the Level of Pressure calculated for each station according to expert judgment and field observations.
ABSTRACT Résumé : Ce document décrit a) les différents types d'observation utilisés par l... more ABSTRACT Résumé : Ce document décrit a) les différents types d'observation utilisés par les partenaires pour les suivis écologiques et les observations qui en découlent ; b) les attributs et caractéristiques des espèces à prendre en compte, et propose pour chaque type d'observation les métriques qui peuvent être calculées en relation avec l'évaluation des effets des AMP.. Mots-clés : indicateurs, AMP, métriques biodiversité et ressources. Ce document doit être cité comme suit: Pelletier, D., L. Wantiez, D. Mouillot, L. Vigliola, E. Charbonnel, L. Bigot, P. Dumas, L. Le Direac'h, P. Chabanet, J.-A. Tomasini, P. Lenfant, B. Preuss et P. Francour. Métriques biodiversité et ressources. Document interne PAMPA/WP2/Meth/6. Version du 20 oct. 2009. 46 p.
Assessing their local economic 2 different topics Assessing their local economic impact A major c... more Assessing their local economic 2 different topics Assessing their local economic impact A major concern for public policy makers, since it governs social acceptability of MPAs. Explanation: social benefits and social costs of protection have different geographic (and time) scales : different geographic (and time) scales : • expected benefits are mainly large-scale and long-time • associated constraints are mainly local and apply immediately Political necessity to compensate local populations by associated constraints are mainly local and apply immediately. exhibiting tangible benefits at their own scale.
The conservation of the coastal marine environment requires the possession of information that en... more The conservation of the coastal marine environment requires the possession of information that enables the global quality of the environment to be evaluated reliably and relatively quickly. The use of biological indicators is often an appropriate method. Seagrasses in general, and Posidonia oceanica meadows in particular, are considered to be appropriate for biomonitoring because of their wide distribution, reasonable size, sedentary habit, easy collection and abundance and sensitivity to modifications of littoral zone. Reasoned management, on the scale of the whole Mediterranean basin, requires standardized methods of study, to be applied by both researchers and administrators, enabling comparable results to be obtained. This paper synthesises the existing methods applied to monitor P. oceanica meadows, identifies the most suitable techniques and suggests future research directions. From the results of a questionnaire, distributed to all the identified laboratories working on this topic, a list of the most commonly used descriptors was drawn up, together with the related research techniques (e.g. standardization, interest and limits, valuation of the results). It seems that the techniques used to study meadows are rather similar, but rarely identical, even though the various teams often refer to previously published works. This paper shows the interest of a practical guide that describes, in a standardized way, the most useful techniques enabling P. oceanica meadows to be used as an environmental descriptor. Indeed, it constitutes the first stage in the process.
The Posidonia oceanica meadow constitutes a key ecosystem in the sublittoral zone of the Mediterr... more The Posidonia oceanica meadow constitutes a key ecosystem in the sublittoral zone of the Mediterranean, from both an ecological and physical equilibrium perspective. In addition, it harbors a very high species diversity. Posidonia oceanica beds are very sensitive to disturbances caused by human activity (e.g. coastal development, pollution, turbidity, anchoring, etc.) and their loss has been observed in a number of regions. The aim of the monitoring of P. oceanica meadows along the Provence and French Riviera coasts is (i) to evidence possible new losses and (ii) to evaluate through a biological indicator the efficiency of regional policies (e.g. setting up of sewage treatment plants, reduction in industrial and domestic pollution levels in the rivers flowing towards the Mediterranean, establishment of Marine Protected Areas, banning of new harbors and reclamations). Monitoring tools operate at three scales: (i) system scale (aerial photographs, measurement of bottom cover, permanent transects), (ii) meadow scale (e.g. photographs of Posidonia around cement markers positioned along meadow limits, shoot-density, permanent quadrats) and (iii) shoot scale (e.g. plagiotopic to orthotropic rhizome ratio, laying bare of the rhizomes, lepidochronology, leaf epiphytes, leaf biometry). Several monitoring programs are based on these tools, or some of them. The Posidonia Monitoring Network (PMN; RSP in French) is the most extensive. It was setup in 1984 and concerns 33 survey sites. Between 1984 and 1999, the percentage of sites at which the P. oceanica meadow was seen to be in expansion increased from 21 to 42%. This is consistent with the increase in the percentage of sewage which is processed in treatment plants, from less than 10% in the early 1980s and close to 100% today. Résumé. L'herbier à Posidonia oceanica est l'un des écosystèmes majeurs du littoral de la Méditerranée, en raison de son importance écologique et de son rôle dans les équilibres sédimentaires littoraux. Par ailleurs, c'est un "point chaud" pour la diversité spécifique. Les herbiers à P. oceanica sont très sensibles aux perturbations humaines (e.g. aménagement littoral, pollution, turbidité, ancrage, etc.) et leur régression concerne une grande partie de la Méditerranée. Les objectifs de la surveillance des herbiers à P. oceanica sur le littoral de la Provence et de la Côte d'Azur sont (i) de mettre en évidence d'éventuelles nouvelles régressions et (ii) d'évaluer, au moyen d'un indicateur biologique, l'efficacité de la politique régionale (e.g. la mise en service de stations de traitement des eaux, la réduction de la pollution apportée par les bassins versants et les fleuves, la création d'Aires Marines Protégées et l'interdiction des endigages et de la création de nou-veaux ports). Les outils de surveillance se situent à trois échelles : (i) l'échelle de l'écosystème (photographies aériennes, recouvrement, transects permanents), (ii) l'échelle de l'herbier (e.g. photographies de Posidonia devant des balises mises en place à la limite de l'herbier, densité des faisceaux, carrés permanents) et (iii) l'échelle du faisceau (e.g. rapport entre rhizomes plagiotropes et orthotropes, déchaussement des rhizomes, lépidochronologie, épibiontes des feuilles, biométrie des feuilles). Un certain nombre de programmes de surveillance sont basés sur ces outils, ou sur une partie d'entre eux. Le "Réseau de Surveillance Posidonies" (RSP) est le plus important ; il a été mis en place en 1984 et concerne 33 sites. Entre 1984 et 1999, le pourcentage de sites où P. oceanica a été en expansion est passé de 21 à 42%. Ce résultat est cohérent avec l'accroissement du pourcentage des eaux usées traitées dans des stations d'épuration, qui est passé de 10% au début des années 1980s à près de 100% aujourd'hui.
The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment o... more The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment of artificial reefs (AR). For 25 years, the Park has led several varied operations by using different kinds of modules: between 1983 and 2004, seven types of architecture for production reefs and five architectures for protection reefs were studied, for a total AR volume
The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment o... more The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment of artificial reefs (AR). For 25 years, the Park has led several varied operations by using different kinds of modules: between 1983 and 2004, seven types of architecture for production reefs and five architectures for protection reefs were studied, for a total AR volume
Global conservation policy requires the scaling up of effectively and equitably managed networks ... more Global conservation policy requires the scaling up of effectively and equitably managed networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). While progress has been made on spatial coverage, the fundamental aspects of effectiveness and equity are falling short. Past research has focused on management effectiveness in MPAs, but less attention has been given to social equity though it is an ethical imperative and instrumental to conservation. This study assessed the perceptions of SSF regarding recognitional, procedural and distributional dimensions of social equity using quantitative surveys in 11 MPAs across 6 countries on the Mediterranean Sea. To do so, we developed individual indicators from which we created composite scores for recognitional, procedural, and distributional equity, and a combined social equity score. Overall, descriptive results showed that SSF perceptions of social equity were quite varied but slightly skewed towards positive perceptions. Then, we developed predictive models to analyze the effects of geographic (i.e., MPA and country) and individual (i.e., SSF demographics and characteristics) factors on the composite social equity scores. All social equity scores differed significantly between MPAs. Being an older fisher was associated with a decrease in recognitional equity, while having a higher level of relative wealth or more diversified livelihoods was associated with higher scores for distributional equity. These results point to the need for tailored management actions to improve equity in different MPA sites and for different groups. This paper presents a novel quantitative method for using
Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - Diderot, 2020
The aim of the European program life Integrated Project Environment (IPE) MarHa (2018-2025) is to... more The aim of the European program life Integrated Project Environment (IPE) MarHa (2018-2025) is to restore and sustain the favorable conservation status of marine natural habitats in French Natura 2000 sites. In this context, Ecosystem Service Assessments (ESA) are carried out at various French sites including the Bay of Marseille (Provence, France). First, we applied the TrIAGE methodology: a strategic assessment of the issues with experts of the area (local MPA managers and scientists). TrIAGE raises two main concerns: (i) the intensification of recreational uses (by both residents and visitors), and (ii) the conservation of Posidonia oceanica (linnaeus) Delile, 1813 seagrass meadows. In order to address both issues, we selected two adapted methodologies based on the strategic assessment: (i) a study oriented toward understanding the demand for ecosystem services (focused on recreational activities), and (ii) a study of the capacity of P. oceanica meadows to deliver ecosystem services using state-and-transition modeling. The objective of this work is to present the ESA process, from the strategic assessment to the analysis results. we focus on the study of the capacity of P. oceanica seagrass meadows to provide ecosystem services. State and transition models consist in defining alternative states of the habitat based on ecological indicators, identifying the bundle of services associated with each state and identifying transition vectors capable of explaining the shifts between each state. State-and-transition models can be very powerful frameworks for integrating multiple functions and services delivered by ecosystems while accounting for their temporal dynamics.
The overexploitation of fishery resources has led to a major fisheries crisis. In this context, a... more The overexploitation of fishery resources has led to a major fisheries crisis. In this context, artisanal fisheries, and in particular small-scale coastal fisheries, appear as relevant alternatives for a sustainable use of coastal resources. Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are more and more used as management tools for these fisheries, as protection effects and targeted access regulations may benefit to commercial fishers. Managers and scientists need then quantitative information not only to adapt their management to the fishing activity present on their territory, but also to estimate the effects of MPA management on it. This study provides catch and effort estimates that are essential for appraising and managing the artisanal fishery in the Côte Bleue Marine Park (CBMP), a French Mediterranean MPA including two No-Take Zones of different age and size. A field protocol was defined and implemented between July 2009 and June 2010 within the CBMP. Seven métiers were identified and characterized by target species, gear type, fishing grounds and fishing periods. During the one-year studied period, 3512 fishing trips and 4645 fishing operations were performed by 30 active boats in the Côte Bleue fishing territory, amounting to 9500 km of immersed nets. In total, approximately 130 tons of catch were landed in the six CBMP harbors, out of which 58% depend on the three main species caught on the Côte Bleue: hake (Merluccius merluccius), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and common sole (Solea solea). The presented methodology could be part of a long term monitoring requiring close collaboration with local fishers. It enables adaptive management with respect to changes in fishing pressure (from inside and outside the MPA) that may impact the environment and its resources
arrivée sur les côtes méditerranéennes françaises du poisson-lapin lessepsien Siganus luridus. De... more arrivée sur les côtes méditerranéennes françaises du poisson-lapin lessepsien Siganus luridus. Deux individus de Siganus luridus (rüppell, 1829) ont été capturés par des pêcheurs à Sausset-les-Pins, à proximité de Marseille, le premier le 9 juillet et le second le 27 septembre 2008. Ceci constitue une extension considérable de l'aire de distribution de cette espèce lessepsienne en Méditerranée, où les populations les plus nord-occidentales étaient connues en Sicile et dans le détroit de Sicile. l'origine de ces individus n'est pas clairement établie, bien qu'ils puissent être arrivés avec des eaux de ballast d'un bateau venant de Méditerranée orientale, de mer rouge ou du sud-ouest de l'océan indien. la possibilité d'une migration naturelle depuis une population lointaine, comme celle de Sicile, est également discutée.
Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system ... more Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system requires the implementation of a battery of indicators of governance. This governance must take into account both the internal dynamics of the system and the threats coming from the system environment. As part of a research project funded by the French Ministry of Ecology, (Liteau program), 4 coral reef MPAs were selected as pilote studies (St Martin in the Caribbean, Reunion and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, the South Lagoon of New Caledonia in Oceania) to develop jointly between scientists and managers of MPAs governance indicators. The approach is definitely bottom up. It is based on the co-construction of indicators. In that way, the views of the scientists who bring their knowledge of governance and ICZM were crossed with the views of MPA managers who bring their field knowledge and specific requests relating to the management of their MPAs. The process was conducted in 5 steps which...
This study evaluates the fishing pressure exerted by the most common recreational and professiona... more This study evaluates the fishing pressure exerted by the most common recreational and professional, small-scale fishing practices on vulnerable target and bycatch species in coastal and offshore waters of the western Mediterranean. By combining multiple data sources, we assembled a unique dataset on catches at multiple sites in these areas by recreational (RF) and small-scale fisheries (SSF), covering the period from 1997 to 2015. Furthermore, a framework with which to identify the vulnerable species among all the species caught is provided; it is based on the IUCN Red List, international conventions for the protection of flora and fauna, the Habitats Directive and the intrinsic vulnerability index of marine fish. Overall, about a quarter of exploited species targeted by SSF and RF in coastal waters were vulnerable, making up nearly 50% of the total SSF catch and nearly 20% of the total recreational catch. In offshore waters, 100% of the RF and SSF catch was made up of vulnerable sp...
A new method based on photographic sampling coupled with in situ observations was applied to 53 s... more A new method based on photographic sampling coupled with in situ observations was applied to 53 stations along the French Mediterranean coast, to assess the integrity of coralligenous reefs affected by different levels of anthropogenic pressure. The conservation state of the assemblages characterizing these habitats was then assessed by an index - the INDEX-COR - that integrates three metrics: (i) the sensitivity of the taxa to organic matter and sediment deposition, (ii) the observable taxonomic richness, and (iii) the structural complexity of the assemblages. The sensitivity of INDEX-COR was tested and showed good correlation with the Level of Pressure calculated for each station according to expert judgment and field observations.
ABSTRACT Résumé : Ce document décrit a) les différents types d'observation utilisés par l... more ABSTRACT Résumé : Ce document décrit a) les différents types d'observation utilisés par les partenaires pour les suivis écologiques et les observations qui en découlent ; b) les attributs et caractéristiques des espèces à prendre en compte, et propose pour chaque type d'observation les métriques qui peuvent être calculées en relation avec l'évaluation des effets des AMP.. Mots-clés : indicateurs, AMP, métriques biodiversité et ressources. Ce document doit être cité comme suit: Pelletier, D., L. Wantiez, D. Mouillot, L. Vigliola, E. Charbonnel, L. Bigot, P. Dumas, L. Le Direac'h, P. Chabanet, J.-A. Tomasini, P. Lenfant, B. Preuss et P. Francour. Métriques biodiversité et ressources. Document interne PAMPA/WP2/Meth/6. Version du 20 oct. 2009. 46 p.
Assessing their local economic 2 different topics Assessing their local economic impact A major c... more Assessing their local economic 2 different topics Assessing their local economic impact A major concern for public policy makers, since it governs social acceptability of MPAs. Explanation: social benefits and social costs of protection have different geographic (and time) scales : different geographic (and time) scales : • expected benefits are mainly large-scale and long-time • associated constraints are mainly local and apply immediately Political necessity to compensate local populations by associated constraints are mainly local and apply immediately. exhibiting tangible benefits at their own scale.
The conservation of the coastal marine environment requires the possession of information that en... more The conservation of the coastal marine environment requires the possession of information that enables the global quality of the environment to be evaluated reliably and relatively quickly. The use of biological indicators is often an appropriate method. Seagrasses in general, and Posidonia oceanica meadows in particular, are considered to be appropriate for biomonitoring because of their wide distribution, reasonable size, sedentary habit, easy collection and abundance and sensitivity to modifications of littoral zone. Reasoned management, on the scale of the whole Mediterranean basin, requires standardized methods of study, to be applied by both researchers and administrators, enabling comparable results to be obtained. This paper synthesises the existing methods applied to monitor P. oceanica meadows, identifies the most suitable techniques and suggests future research directions. From the results of a questionnaire, distributed to all the identified laboratories working on this topic, a list of the most commonly used descriptors was drawn up, together with the related research techniques (e.g. standardization, interest and limits, valuation of the results). It seems that the techniques used to study meadows are rather similar, but rarely identical, even though the various teams often refer to previously published works. This paper shows the interest of a practical guide that describes, in a standardized way, the most useful techniques enabling P. oceanica meadows to be used as an environmental descriptor. Indeed, it constitutes the first stage in the process.
The Posidonia oceanica meadow constitutes a key ecosystem in the sublittoral zone of the Mediterr... more The Posidonia oceanica meadow constitutes a key ecosystem in the sublittoral zone of the Mediterranean, from both an ecological and physical equilibrium perspective. In addition, it harbors a very high species diversity. Posidonia oceanica beds are very sensitive to disturbances caused by human activity (e.g. coastal development, pollution, turbidity, anchoring, etc.) and their loss has been observed in a number of regions. The aim of the monitoring of P. oceanica meadows along the Provence and French Riviera coasts is (i) to evidence possible new losses and (ii) to evaluate through a biological indicator the efficiency of regional policies (e.g. setting up of sewage treatment plants, reduction in industrial and domestic pollution levels in the rivers flowing towards the Mediterranean, establishment of Marine Protected Areas, banning of new harbors and reclamations). Monitoring tools operate at three scales: (i) system scale (aerial photographs, measurement of bottom cover, permanent transects), (ii) meadow scale (e.g. photographs of Posidonia around cement markers positioned along meadow limits, shoot-density, permanent quadrats) and (iii) shoot scale (e.g. plagiotopic to orthotropic rhizome ratio, laying bare of the rhizomes, lepidochronology, leaf epiphytes, leaf biometry). Several monitoring programs are based on these tools, or some of them. The Posidonia Monitoring Network (PMN; RSP in French) is the most extensive. It was setup in 1984 and concerns 33 survey sites. Between 1984 and 1999, the percentage of sites at which the P. oceanica meadow was seen to be in expansion increased from 21 to 42%. This is consistent with the increase in the percentage of sewage which is processed in treatment plants, from less than 10% in the early 1980s and close to 100% today. Résumé. L'herbier à Posidonia oceanica est l'un des écosystèmes majeurs du littoral de la Méditerranée, en raison de son importance écologique et de son rôle dans les équilibres sédimentaires littoraux. Par ailleurs, c'est un "point chaud" pour la diversité spécifique. Les herbiers à P. oceanica sont très sensibles aux perturbations humaines (e.g. aménagement littoral, pollution, turbidité, ancrage, etc.) et leur régression concerne une grande partie de la Méditerranée. Les objectifs de la surveillance des herbiers à P. oceanica sur le littoral de la Provence et de la Côte d'Azur sont (i) de mettre en évidence d'éventuelles nouvelles régressions et (ii) d'évaluer, au moyen d'un indicateur biologique, l'efficacité de la politique régionale (e.g. la mise en service de stations de traitement des eaux, la réduction de la pollution apportée par les bassins versants et les fleuves, la création d'Aires Marines Protégées et l'interdiction des endigages et de la création de nou-veaux ports). Les outils de surveillance se situent à trois échelles : (i) l'échelle de l'écosystème (photographies aériennes, recouvrement, transects permanents), (ii) l'échelle de l'herbier (e.g. photographies de Posidonia devant des balises mises en place à la limite de l'herbier, densité des faisceaux, carrés permanents) et (iii) l'échelle du faisceau (e.g. rapport entre rhizomes plagiotropes et orthotropes, déchaussement des rhizomes, lépidochronologie, épibiontes des feuilles, biométrie des feuilles). Un certain nombre de programmes de surveillance sont basés sur ces outils, ou sur une partie d'entre eux. Le "Réseau de Surveillance Posidonies" (RSP) est le plus important ; il a été mis en place en 1984 et concerne 33 sites. Entre 1984 et 1999, le pourcentage de sites où P. oceanica a été en expansion est passé de 21 à 42%. Ce résultat est cohérent avec l'accroissement du pourcentage des eaux usées traitées dans des stations d'épuration, qui est passé de 10% au début des années 1980s à près de 100% aujourd'hui.
The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment o... more The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment of artificial reefs (AR). For 25 years, the Park has led several varied operations by using different kinds of modules: between 1983 and 2004, seven types of architecture for production reefs and five architectures for protection reefs were studied, for a total AR volume
The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment o... more The Côte Bleue Marine Park (PMCB) was one of the precursors in France concerning the deployment of artificial reefs (AR). For 25 years, the Park has led several varied operations by using different kinds of modules: between 1983 and 2004, seven types of architecture for production reefs and five architectures for protection reefs were studied, for a total AR volume
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