Project to extend the Cerbère Marine Nature Reserve

This approach to extending the perimeter of the Reserve is part of the national strategy for Protected Areas setting an objective of 5% strong protection in the Mediterranean by 2027 in response to the climate emergency and the widespread erosion of biodiversity and in departmental policy in favor of environmental preservation.
The experience acquired and the demonstration made by the Marine Reserve of the effectiveness of this tool argued for a process of extending the perimeter to be carried out. The Department, with the support of its partners, decided to initiate a consultation process involving all stakeholders (users, population stakeholders), convinced that the acceptability of this project should be as broad as possible and that it had to be built collectively.

This approach, officially launched in January 2022, ended in June 2023 at the end of a 17-month participatory process, based on a hybrid methodology (face-to-face and digital participation) and respect for the founding principles of a democratic debate ( transparency, representativeness, neutrality). Thanks to a dynamic multi-actor partnership, the support of practitioners and the contribution of scientists, this approach made it possible to establish a framework for co-construction and to arrive at concerted management choices accepted by users within the future extended perimeter, while responding to the challenge of preserving marine environments and the ecological transition of the territory.

The main target audience was the representatives of users within the Reserve (professional and leisure fishing, diving, pleasure, spearfishing, environmental associations, nautical activities), as the first actors concerned by the extended perimeter and future regulations. This audience represented nearly 70 people, thus constituting the panel of participants in the 5 participatory workshops, held from February 2022 to March 2023

The secondary audience targeted by the approach was citizens in the broad sense, with a focus on residents of the rocky coast, whether or not they are users of the Reserve. As this audience was not present during the workshops, specific measures were put in place to capture and include citizens in the process (surveys, polls, online debate platform, 3 boat workshops, public meeting), making it possible to reach around a thousand people (online or in person)

At the same time, a large hybrid perception survey (online survey and field trips) was conducted to collect and integrate the opinions of the general public into the debates.

From now on, the administrative extension procedure will be carried out by the State until a classification decree is obtained by the Minister of Ecological Transition. Information and working times will be organized by the Department to continue the dialogue with stakeholders.