The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region is one of the must-visit tourist destinations in the summer. The coastline welcomes up to 8 times its usual population each year. Thus, numerous summer actions are deployed to preserve the quality of beaches, the coastline, and the seabeds in the Mediterranean.
This is the case for Écogestes Méditerranée and Inf’eau Mer, which in 2022 focused their campaign on the protection of Posidonia, both in the sea and on the beach, and raising awareness among boaters.
Écogestes Méditerranée: Raising Awareness Among Boaters
The ambassadors of this awareness campaign engaged with boaters about their practices to inform them about the impacts these uses can have on the environment. Each conversation, lasting about 20 minutes, allows for the dissemination of information and advice on the most marine-friendly practices. Following this exchange, each boat receives an Écogestes flag.
- 189 actions, including 127 at sea and 62 in ports
- 630 hours of engaging communication
- 4,640 people made aware
- 1,764 commitments made
Commitments Praised by Boaters:
- Better-respected marine life: observing animals without feeding, disturbing, or touching them.
- Fewer harmful detergents in the sea: using plant-based or eco-labeled cleaning products and soaps.
- Preserved Posidonia meadows: seeking sandy areas to anchor.
- Better recycled waste and preserved resources: sorting waste on board and reducing packaging and plastics.
Regarding the use of ecological products on board, more than one in two boaters use them. 68% in 2022, with a slight decrease compared to the previous two years.
Inf’eau Mer: Raising Awareness Among Beach Users
Inf’eau Mer made it possible to inform and raise awareness among beachgoers about the issues related to the sea and the coastline, thus providing a better understanding of these issues, while inviting them to change their behavior. The collective carried out 181 days, reaching more than 11,000 people made aware.
5,293 beach users responded to a survey, addressing, among other things:
- Cleanliness of beaches: 3.9/5
- Quality of bathing water: 60% good
- Posidonia is known by 65% of respondents
