Post-larvae in the port of La Ciotat (copyright: Remy Dubas)
An increasing involvement of ports for the quality of their waters
The coastal local authority and port managers are at the heart of many issues linked to marine environment, and are becoming increasingly aware of the interest to participate in environmental management. Special attention was paid to the quality of water as well as waste management with sometimes spectacular results.
Even if the ports are only one link in the chain of major pollution affecting the marine environment, pollution related to ports and boating are recurring and affect the coastal environment, which is the richest and most fragile ecosystems.
The demand from citizens and tourist is increaselingly strong towards water quality. Preserving the environment is thus becoming a driving force of economic development through the competitive asset it provides to the most exemplary ports.
What is an Exemplary Port?
Thanks to the existence of a diversified range of artificial nurseries, docks, rocky breakwaters, pontoons and all coastal infrastructures can become true shelters for many aquatic species. Ports can thus contribute to the improvement of biodiversity within their environment. A NAPPEX port is a port that, after having committed itself to a “clean port” plan of action (water quality, waste management …), decides to take a step further towards exemplarity by integrating biodiversity to its environmental approach.
Clean Port + Biodiversity = Exemplary Port