Webcast
Posidonia seagrass beds, the blue lung of the Mediterranean sea? WWF explains us everything
Event date
8 June 2023
Today, Thursday 8 June, is the world oceans day, a special day to celebrate Posidonia, the blue lung of the ocean.
To mark the day, we met up with Catherine Piante, heads up the Maritime Areas Planning Division of WWF-France, to talk about the importance of preserving Posidonia and the partnership with Fountaine Pajot in the effort to save it.
Herbiers de Posidonie, poumon bleu de la Méditerranée ? WWF France nous explique tout.
14:08 min
Did you know that? Posidonia provides a large variety of key ecological functions. Posidonia meadows provide an essential habitat for many marine species. They are also vital for water quality in coastal areas. Preserving and protecting these ecosystems is essential to maintaining the ecological balance of the Mediterranean Sea. That’s why Fountaine Pajot is working alongside WWF to protect Posidonia seagrass beds.
Protecting the oceans to protect life!
Oceans are the bedrock of the phenomena that make our planet habitable: oxygen supply, water cycle, climate regulation, food resources, etc. However, they are subject to an accumulation of pressures11 linked to human activities and climate change (surface water temperature increase, acidification, etc.). This has a direct impact on marine ecosystems.
- 72% of the earth’s surface is covered by oceans and seas.
- Around 250.000 species are known to exist in the oceans. A figure that could rise to the millions as the depths remain largely unexplored.
- 30% of CO2 produced by humans is absorbed by the oceans, mitigating the impacts of global warming.
- A carbon sink: Up to 1500 tons of carbon per ha, 3 to 5 times more than tropical forests, over millions of hectares and hundreds of years.
- A fragile ecosystem: Between 10 to 30% of its surface area has been lost in the last 50 years for the whole Mediterranean basin.
A partnership for action
Fountaine-Pajot has decided to support WWF France conservation project. The aim is to raise awareness and mobilise the yachting stakeholders to change the practices of the sector. The aims of this project are to: provide operational support to local authorities along the Mediterranean coast for the deployment of organised mooring areas in sites requiring the protection of the Posidonia meadow; deploy an awareness-raising campaign in France for boaters; support the implementation of virtuous «Blue Carbon» projects based on the preservation and/or restoration of Posidonia seagrass.
An inspiring roadmap
Preserving these underwater «blue forests» requires the rallying of all: our group, our employees, our network of partners and all boaters. Only a strong dynamic can stop the degradation of this marine ecosystem. Fountaine Pajot is therefore deploying a vast action plan along four lines: informing and raising awareness, supporting impact projects in conjunction with WWF, developing sustainable yachting solutions, and finally, getting involved in major international initiatives to preserve the oceans. Our roadmap is enriched every day by our individual and collective actions towards drawing the big lines of sustainable yachting.
> To find out more about protecting Posidonia, visit the WWF-France website: click here
