Fight against Caulerpa Taxifolia, a long-term commitment
At the end of March, mayor Hervé Stassinos, accompanied by his first deputy Jean-François Planes, deputy for town planning and land development, ...
For the elected officials, this is a fight that began in 2002. For more than 20 years, the Ville and its partners have been fighting against the proliferation of the green alga Caulerpa taxifolia, a species native to Australia that has invaded Mediterranean seabeds. 'This commitment, supported by the Municipalité and several local associations, aims to restore the balance of coastal and marine ecosystems by limiting the spread of this invasive species,' explained Hervé Stassinos.
CONCERNS The mayor added: 'Although notable progress has been made and a regression of the alga has been observed in recent years, climate change and the rising water temperatures of the Mediterranean Sea are raising concerns. Indeed, these phenomena can lead to a new phase of expansion for Caulerpa taxifolia, which makes the continuity of this control action essential.'
Every autumn, Telo Sub coordinates, with the commune and the support of various associations and the Parc national de Port-Cros, prospecting and eradication campaigns for Caulerpa taxifolia. These actions involve around fifteen volunteer divers, whether they are residents of Le Pradet or neighboring communes, as well as members of local associations. At the same time, awareness-raising actions continue throughout the year.
In particular, during the summer season, operations are carried out to reach a wide audience and encourage everyone to adopt behavior that respects the marine environment.
The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of the partners in this environmental preservation action: Patrick Maurin, president of the Centre de Plongée du Pradet, Eric Pironneau, president of Telo Sub, and Marion George, project manager at Naturoscope. PLEASE NOTE...
THREE PILLARS OF ACTION: Each year, the campaign to fight Caulerpa taxifolia is based on three major pillars: Prospecting: Each autumn, a team goes into the field to identify the areas invaded by the alga, check and record the state of previously eradicated colonies, and list the species encountered, whether fauna or flora. Eradication: As soon as new colonies are identified during the prospecting campaign, eradication operations are carried out in the field. Awareness-raising: Every summer, awareness-raising actions are organized to inform users of the marine environment (divers, boaters, swimmers, etc.)
, school groups and the general public about the challenges related to the preservation of marine biodiversity.
Photo PRESSE AGENCE.