The Estuary-Bay of Seine Continuum: The Need for an Ecosystem-Based Management

Abstract

Estuaries and coastal zones reflect conflicting processes due to their positions at the interface between terrestrial and marine environments. The estuary of the Seine is an example of such a continuum and is affected by numerous human activities. Although degradation started in the middle of nineteenth century, the Seine estuary remains an important area for biodiversity as well for the food web involving fish and birds. The estuary area has been affected by intense historic anthropogenic pressures and, more recently, by new human activities, including harbour extension, aggregate extraction and the development of offshore wind farms. Nowadays, harbour projects continue to highlight the existing ecological compartments and are still studied independently. French and European regulations, including reforms of the harbour status, should ensure a better integration of natural heritage protection into the integrated coastal zone management process. However, there is a paradox between the declaration of the French state, which encourages a global management plan for the Seine Estuary, and sectoral territorial approaches adopted by the managers. This paper presents an analysis of the current contrasted situation in the administration of territories, which favours sectoral management rather than a unique ecosystem-based management process.