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Anchoring of boats over 20 meters will not be authorized in certain areas of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes this summer. The actors of the luxury yachting sector are opposed to this decision, which would weaken the local economy, taken by the Maritime Prefecture of Toulon in order to preserve the underwater flora.
Each year, the PACA region attracts 40% of the world’s luxury yachting industry. Due to a decree of the Maritime Prefecture of Toulon, the anchoring of boats over 20 meters will not be allowed in some areas of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes this summer in order to preserve an aquatic plant that grows in the seabed, the Posidonia.
This decision was taken to protect Posidonia meadows, a species protected in the Mediterranean since 1988, which serve as a habitat for many marine species, and which are damaged by large yachts.
This decree will apply from this summer, and violators face fines of up to 150,000 euros, a prison sentence, a ban on sailing in French territorial waters, and a seizure of the boat. Many professionals in the sector are contesting this decree, which would endanger hundreds of jobs, and are appealing to the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron to cancel this decision.
Indeed, the luxury yachting sector, which concerns several thousand jobs in France, protests against this measure, which could cause the local economy to lose tens of millions of euros. In several ports in the PACA region, sailors are using their foghorns to express their disapproval.
“The consultation of this decree was made from August 10 to September 1 last year, a period during which all our profession is active,” explains Mathieu Reix, president of the association SOS Navigation. “We love the sea and we fully understand the need to protect Posidonia, that’s why we try to anchor on sandy areas. There are solutions to make large yachts and maritime ecology cohabit“.
Every year, the luxury yachting sector generates nearly 3 billion euros in sales. “About 35% of the world’s yachts are located in the PACA region,” adds Mathieu Reix. “The expenses incurred on land by passengers sometimes reach 50,000 euros per day. With this decree, the new anchorage areas will no longer allow French, English, German and American clients to make stopovers“.
Last year, the sector was severely weakened by the health crisis and hopes this year to resume its activity as best as possible. Due to the cancellation of the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix, 25% of yacht bookings have been lost. The SOS Navigation association fears that this summer their clients will turn to other popular destinations, such as Croatia or Italy, which do not impose such restrictions.
“Many seafarers will not be able to follow the ships on which they work,” laments Mathieu Reix. “Last year, we only operated at 50% of our capacity. The authorities must understand that we are not defending yacht owners. We are defending our jobs,” insists the president of SOS Navigation.
In this context, a petition has been launched and signed by several members of parliament. The SOS Navigation association, headed by Mathieu Reix, has also sent a letter to the President of the Republic, inviting him to “suspend this decree until a solution is found and the active professional community is consulted“.
Read also > AIRLINE SECTOR: WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CRISIS?
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Anchoring of boats over 20 meters will not be authorized in certain areas of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes this summer. The actors of the luxury yachting sector are opposed to this decision, which would weaken the local economy, taken by the Maritime Prefecture of Toulon in order to preserve the underwater flora.
Each year, the PACA region attracts 40% of the world’s luxury yachting industry. Due to a decree of the Maritime Prefecture of Toulon, the anchoring of boats over 20 meters will not be allowed in some areas of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes this summer in order to preserve an aquatic plant that grows in the seabed, the Posidonia.
This decision was taken to protect Posidonia meadows, a species protected in the Mediterranean since 1988, which serve as a habitat for many marine species, and which are damaged by large yachts.
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Anchoring of boats over 20 meters will not be authorized in certain areas of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes this summer. The actors of the luxury yachting sector are opposed to this decision, which would weaken the local economy, taken by the Maritime Prefecture of Toulon in order to preserve the underwater flora.
Each year, the PACA region attracts 40% of the world’s luxury yachting industry. Due to a decree of the Maritime Prefecture of Toulon, the anchoring of boats over 20 meters will not be allowed in some areas of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes this summer in order to preserve an aquatic plant that grows in the seabed, the Posidonia.
This decision was taken to protect Posidonia meadows, a species protected in the Mediterranean since 1988, which serve as a habitat for many marine species, and which are damaged by large yachts.
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