Examining stakeholder involvement in the context of top-down marine protected area governance: the case of the Sept-Îles National Nature Reserve (Brittany, France)

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are important yet complex conservation tools that can be difficult to govern and manage. In France, the State manages protected areas with national status, but consults communities and users when making decisions. How can the governance of an MPA be improved while respecting the framework imposed on it by State regulations? This study focuses on the Sept-Îles National Nature Reserve (Réserve naturelle nationale, or RNN), located in northern Brittany (France) and renowned for its natural heritage, particularly for its seabird conservation efforts. Its management methods are provided for by the French Environmental Code, and are structured around an Advisory Committee, a Scientific Council, and a designated manager. Any change in the functioning of this committee must comply with the provisions of French law. Following a decree to extend the perimeter of the RNN, there was the opportunity to reassess the functioning of the current governance structure the RNN Sept-Îles and to define its strengths and weaknesses so that these may be addressed as the RNN grows. Various stakeholders – for the most part members of the Advisory Committee – were engaged through semi-structured interviews, guided by the principles of good governance. This study found that the current structure of the Advisory Committee is not aligned with the French Environmental Code and proposes new working groups that could offer stakeholders more opportunities for participation. There were issues of representation, communication, and power struggles within the Advisory Committee and highlights a distinct lack of young people within the governance structure of the RNN, which poses questions about its future. This is one of the first studies in France to propose an alternative governance structure involving more RNN stakeholders that can fit into the current framework imposed by State regulations

Assessing the Impact of Mpas on Recreational Uses of A Marine Ecosystem: the Case of the Côte Bleue Marine Park (France)

Though the basic purpose of MPAs is marine ecosystem conservation, the question of their influence on the local economy is often critical since it governs their social acceptability. This paper addresses the problem of measuring the consequences of creating a marine protected area (MPA) on recreational extractive and non-extractive uses of the ecosystem (scuba diving, snorkelling, sport fishing). In the first part, we analyse the results of several field surveys dedicated to scuba diving and recreational fishing activities in the Côte Bleue Marine Park, along the French Mediterranean coast. These surveys have been performed in 2006-2009, within the framework of two multidisciplinary research projects on MPAs (EMPAFISH project, funded by the EU and PAMPA project, funded by the French Environment Ministry). Its aim was to characterize the behaviour of recreational users, their attitude towards the marine park, and to provide information for an assessment of its economic value. More than 2,500 answers of recreational users were collected. On the basis of these results, the second part of the paper proposes a simple illustrative model of demand for recreational uses of the MPA, taking into account both environmental and congestion effects

Economic analysis of marine protected areas: a literature review

This publication has been developed in the framework of the project EMPAFISH (SSP8-006539) supported by the Commission of the European Communities within the Sixth Framework Programme

Social carrying capacity assessment from questionnaire and counts survey: Insights for recreational settings management in coastal areas

International audienceBecause of demographic and tourism increase, coastal areas are facing higher numbers of recreational users. Together with other factors (environmental quality, protection status), the level of use affects the spatial distribution of users. This level also affects the quality of user experience, because beyond a certain level, the number of users results in decreased user satisfaction; this is the social carrying capacity (SCC), which depends on user and site characteristics. This study assessed the SCC in a popular coastal area and examined how it influences the spatial distribution of users. Boat and visitor counts as well as data from a questionnaire-based survey were analyzed to assess i) crowding perception, ii) factors affecting the disturbance associated with use level, and iii) user's coping strategies when managing high use levels. The results demonstrated that crowding perception and disturbances associated with use level depend on-site characteristics, use level, and user characteristics. Boat type was the main factor affecting user's coping strategy. SCC significantly differed between sites and according to the use level anticipated by users. The SCC was fulfilled at every site within the marine protected areas, except for the sites experiencing the lowest use level. This study provides novel and valuable information for the field of recreational use management, when attempting to achieve either sustainable use goals through SCC assessment or biodiversity conservation goals through the effect of SCC on the spatial distribution of pressures related to recreational uses

Kelp harvesting fleet dynamics and the fleet's dependence on Laminaria forests in the Iroise Sea (North Finistère, France)

This paper addresses the question of economic viability of a fishing fleet, its dependence on main target species, and its capacity to be adapted to future constraints. The analysis relies on a field survey of a small-scale inshore fishing fleet of the Iroise Sea, in Brittany, seasonally harvesting seaweeds. Kelp forests are important biota both as habitat provider and producer, but are subject to significant threats that can permanently affect their sustainability. Seaweed harvesting has always been a controversial sector and the establishment of a marine protected area in the Iroise Sea has rekindled the debate on the environmental impact of seaweed exploitation. But, the fleet is also exposed to others constraints, be they regulatory or economic.Dynamique de la flotille de récolte de laminaires et sa dépendance vis à vis des forêts de laminaires en Mer d'Iroise (Finistère nord, France). Cet article étudie la question de la viabilité économique d'une flottille de pêche, sa dépendance à l'espèce-cible principale, tout en intégrant sa capacité d'adaptation aux éventuelles contraintes à avenir. L'analyse repose sur une enquête de terrain consacrée à la flottille goémonière de la mer d'Iroise, en Bretagne. Les forêts de laminaires sont des biotes importants à la fois comme habitat et producteur, mais sont sujettes à d'importantes menaces qui peuvent affecter de façon permanente leur durabilité. La récolte des algues a toujours été l'objet de controverses et la création d'une aire marine protégée en mer d'Iroise a relancé le débat sur l'impact environnemental de l'exploitation des algues. Outre la menace concernant la ressource, la flottille goémonière est également exposée à diverses contraintes d'ordre réglementaire ou économique

The impact of economic and regulatory factors on the relative profitability of fishing boats: A case study of the seaweed harvesting fleet of Northwest Brittany (France)

This paper addresses the question of the relative importance of economic and regulatory (administrative) factors on the profitability of various components of a fishing fleet. The argument is that, while the official purpose of most regulatory measures is resource conservation, these measures may significantly influence the relative levels of incomes generated by various components of the fleet. When a large part of fisheries management is under the control of fishermen themselves, this illustrates how the endogenous generation of rules by groups of users may affect both economic efficiency and equity. The analysis relies on a field survey of a small-scale inshore fishing fleet of the Northwest part of Brittany (France),which provided data for simulations concerning the impact of various factors on the profitability of boats. According to the results of these simulations, two regulations, concerning the cost of access to some resources and the control of fishing effort, play a significant role in the difference of profitability observed according to boat size. At a time when the ageing of the fleet opens the question its renewal, this might influence durably the dynamics of the fishery

Socio-Economic Evaluation of Marine Protected Areas

International audienceSocioeconomic evaluation of marine protected areas (MPAs) aims to identify and measure the social costs and benefits created by the MPA. Thus, an overall assessment and its breakdown within the society can be determined. This chapter first presents the main tools for the socioeconomic evaluation of MPAs. The two main types of tools are the techniques for the evaluation of non-market values, and bioeconomic models. Next, the chapter addresses the problems inherent in the measurement of the non-market values meant to maintain the MPAs. It describes the problems inherent in modeling the bioeconomic processes which the MPAs are supposed to influence. For each case, the chapter outlines the main adaptations used in the attempt to resolve, or at least to reduce, these difficulties. © ISTE Ltd 2015. All rights reserved

Evaluation Socio-Economique des Aires Marines Protégées

International audienceLa série Mer et Océan propose une approche interdisciplinaire et intégrée (biologique, physique, chimique) des systèmes océaniques : état et fonctionnement des océans, origine de leur vulnérabilité, scénarios de gestion durable et d’adaptation des sociétés. Une approche qui permet le passage de cette science fondamentale, basée sur l’analyse des processus, leurs couplages à toutes les échelles et entre tous les compartiments, à une science « publique », finalisable et participative, ouverte aux décideurs et aux gestionnaires. La gouvernance des mers et océans, définie comme l’ensemble des formes de participation de la société à la prise de décision en matière d’environnement marin, est ici principalement vue sous un angle juridique avec le droit de la mer comme déterminant. L’ouvrage présente les principaux aspects du droit maritime et l’historique de sa construction. L’exploitation des ressources vivantes, des minéraux et des réserves énergétiques marines, le transport maritime, les perturbations des écosystèmes marins par un trafic maritime en constante augmentation, sont pris en compte.  Les enjeux juridiques ou socioéconomiques liés au développement des énergies marines renouvelables ou à la mise en place d’aires marines protégées sont également traités. Dans un cadre de mondialisation, la mise en œuvre de la gestion intégrée des mers et littoraux est analysée en soulignant l’intérêt de l’implication des acteurs du secteur pour assurer la durabilité des activités maritimes