Joint declaration signed to promote Alliance Posidonia’s preservation of Posidonia in the Med

On Thursday 29^th June 2023 in Marseille, France, public and private organisations signed a joint declaration to formalise the creation of Alliance Posidonia, which aims to raise awareness and preserve the Mediterranean’s Posidonia plants.

Posidonia, whose scientific name is Posidonia Oceanica, is an underwater flowering and seeding plant that lives only in the Mediterranean, and is protected in France and Europe. Alliance Posidonia has emphasised that citizens, elected officials, boaters, and social organisations all have a role to play in protecting the Mediterranean’s Posidonia plants.

From the surface to a depth of 40 metres (131 feet), Posidonia forms seagrass beds that provide multiple ecosystem benefits. These benefits include the creation of habitats for marine fauna and flora, aiding a reduction of wave strength, limiting beach erosion, and fighting against global warming by storing CO2. These seagrass beds have occupied a central place in our coastlines for thousands of years.

Alliance Posidonia aims to reinforce respectful behaviour, raise further awareness of Posidonia, and promote innovative solutions to preserve seagrass beds and benches.

Comprising a dozen members, Alliance Posidonia has brought together supporting organisations from both private and public sectors. The full list of current members includes:

• Préfécture Maritime de la Méditerranée
• Direction Interrégionale de la Mer Méditerranée
• Office Français de la Biodiversité 
• Agence de l'eau Rhône Méditerranée Corse
• Région Occitanie Pyrénées-Méditerranée
• Région Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
• Office de l'Environnement de la Corse
• CPIE des Îles de Lérins et Pays d'Azur
• L'Union des Ports de Plaisance Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur et Monaco
• L'Union des Ports de Plaisance d'Occitanie
• WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
• La Fédération des Industries Nautiques

In 2023, it intends to carry out the following actions:

• Summer 2023 - membership campaign concerning the protection of Posidonia
• Summer 2023 - Strengthening awareness by raising actions for sea users in 13 marine areas
• 15th July-15th August - WWF poster campaign to raise public awareness of Posidonia
• July and August 2023 - Mediterranean eco-gestures campaign for boaters in the regions

Find out more about Posidonia seagrass and the anchorage regulations in place to protect it on Yachting Pages. For more news and yachting tips, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.