The préfet maritime sets the roadmap for the action de l’État en mer for the year 2025

This annual conference, chaired by the préfet maritime, brings together representatives of the action de l’État en mer (AEM) to improve its coordination, discuss and determine the main guidelines in the maritime field for the coming year. Opened by contre-amiral Pierre Rialland, secrétaire général de la mer ad interim, the conférence maritime régionale 2025, chaired by vice-amiral d’escadre Christophe Lucas, préfet maritime de la Méditerranée, notably brought together the main services contributing to the AEM in Méditerranée (1), the Directions départementales des territoires et de la mer (DDTM) and their délégués à la mer et aux littoraux (DML) who exercise part of their prerogatives under the authority of the préfet maritime. After being introduced by the préfet maritime, the CMR allowed various speakers to discuss the main ongoing projects within some of the represented administrations. Following an introduction on the public environmental policies supported by the préfecture maritime, the tribunal maritime de Marseille addressed the criminal response provided for environmental offenses related to the policy of preserving Posidonia seagrass meadows. This presentation made the various actors aware of the efforts undertaken to strengthen collaboration between administrations and judicial services and to guarantee a judicial response consistent with the administrative police. The latest litigation recognizing ecological damage from harm to the seagrass beds illustrates the administrations contributing to the effectiveness of this public policy. Presented by the Direction de projet éolien flottant en Méditerranée, the latest progress in deploying floating wind turbines along the coastline also animated the debates. Taking this new use into account in maritime planning work is a priority for the préfet maritime, as are the safety and security challenges in wind farms. The presentation of the feedback from the exercise conducted on the Atlantique coast helped enrich the debate. The theme of sea rescue was also addressed in the context of accidents in the coastal strip (6 nautical miles) and more particularly in the 300-meter zone. The numerical data and associated analyses were cross-referenced between the Système national d'observation de la sécurité des activités nautiques (SNOSAN), the Samu de coordination médicale maritime Méditerranée (SCMM MED), and the État-major interministériel de zone (EMIZ) Sud. Lessons were learned to make the handling chain for coastal accidents more efficient and to guide the next safety campaign for nautical recreation and boating. Following a presentation by the EMIZ Sud, a discussion period was dedicated to regional guidelines regarding marina security, and in particular to the fight against trafficking. Regarding policing at sea, the Département de recherches archéologiques subaquatiques et sous-marines (DRASSM) discussed the planned regulatory developments in the policing of cultural property to fight looting more effectively and strengthen the protection of this precious heritage. At the end of the conference, the préfecture maritime presented two current files on which its services are actively working. Next spring, the Conférence des Nations- Unies sur l’océan (UNOC) in Nice will be a highlight of the year 2025. To ensure the smooth running of this international event, the préfet maritime will need to guarantee safety and security at sea by regulating uses in the rade de Nice and coordinating a major dispositif particulier de sûreté maritime (DPSM). On March 26, the préfecture maritime organized a maritime ORSEC air crash at sea exercise off Menton (06), named SAMAR MED 25. It was decided this year to include this annual exercise in the preparatory phase for the UNOC and to involve the préfecture des Alpes- Maritimes and the Principauté de Monaco, which are key partners for the UNOC. In conclusion, the préfet maritime recalled the need to break down silos in the work in order to gain consistency, efficiency, and simplification. He set the following guidelines for the year 2025.

Were present:

The procureur général près la cour d’appel d’Aix-en-Provence, the procureurs de la République près les tribunaux judiciaires de Marseille and Toulon, the président du tribunal administratif de Toulon, the Secrétariats généraux aux affaires régionales (SGAR), the Directions régionales de l’environnement, de l’aménagement et du logement (DREAL), the Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), the Agence de l’eau Rhône, Méditerranée, Corse (AERMC), the Parcs nationaux de Port-Cros and the Calanques.

The main services contributing to the AEM in Méditerranée (1) mentioned above are: Marine nationale, Gendarmerie maritime, Gendarmerie nationale, Affaires maritimes, Douane, Sécurité civile, Police aux frontières, Département des recherches archéologiques subaquatiques et sousmarines, SNSM.