In the midst of the campaign for the municipal elections of March 2026, the leader of the “Vivre Nice” list, Hélène Gralouillac, presented a marine sanctuary project for the orcas and dolphins of Marineland this Tuesday, February 17, at Rauba Capeu. She advocates for the creation of an underwater corridor connecting the current site to an enclosure at sea, with the stated goal of animal protection and economic conversion.
During this press conference dedicated to the future of the Marineland site, closed for more than a year, the ecologist candidate stated that the recent decisions made at the Ministry of Ecological Transition were “a non-event”, considering that “all the choices that have been made do not go in the right direction”.
An underwater corridor to a marine sanctuary
The presented project is based on the creation of an underwater corridor of approximately 400 to 500 meters connecting the current site to the sea, leading to a semi-open sanctuary, located 800 meters to a kilometer offshore. The animals would remain under scientific and veterinary supervision.
Hélène Gralouillac proposes, initially, to “secure the existing mammals” by repairing the degraded pools and building temporary basins. She mentions a cost of “a few tens of thousands of euros” for these emergency installations, while the marine sanctuary would be estimated at “several million euros”, without any equivalent precedent.
The candidate asserts that the project would fit within the perimeter of the Pélagos sanctuary, which includes France, Italy, and Monaco. She believes that France is lagging in terms of marine sanctuaries and calls on the State to “make decisions today”.
A project presented as economic and educational
Beyond the environmental aspect, Hélène Gralouillac promotes a conversion of the site into a marine dispensary and an educational space. She excludes any activity related to shows or reproduction, referring to “no commercial or financial end”. According to her, the site would maintain economic appeal for the region.
Asked about funding, she cites European funds, the possible participation of Monaco and Italy, as well as donors. She also mentions an offer from the NGO Sea Shepherd of up to 500,000 euros per year for the maintenance of the basins.
The candidate links this project to other measures in her municipal program, including the transformation of the former commercial court into a learning center for the Mediterranean, as well as the monthly pedestrianization of the area from the port to the Quai des États-Unis.
By presenting this project during her campaign, Hélène Gralouillac states that the Marineland issue “impacts the image of Nice” and that the city, home of the coastal city coalition and host of UNOC 3 in 2025, has “a major role to play”.
