“Cloudy water in these natural areas, this is an endangered photosynthesis, algae disappearing, a whole ecosystem condemned”
Submerged 50 meters deep, the dune of shell sand is a refuge and a breeding place for sandeel, this small fish that is at the basis of the food chain. Gannets and puffins of the Seven Islands’ natural reserve make their meals with this fish, as well as bars, royal bream and pollack that are much coveted by inshore fishermen. The Roullier Group plans to appropriate this marine dune to extract 400,000 cubic meters each year for fifteen years ; this resource is used to alkalize agricultural too acidic land. It will replace the maerl, these seaweed debris from which Europe has banned the extraction since 1 January 2014. The project has been approved by the prefect of Finistere.
The maritime zone selected by the industrialist is in a subtle interstice, halfway between two protected areas, classified Natura 2000
All local elected representatives and parliamentarians across the political spectrum, oppose the mining project and nearly 4,000 people demonstrated against the incoherence of the government, which protects an exceptional maritime site, while allowing industrial activity threatening the natural heritage for purely commercial profit.
“The maritime area chosen by the manufacturer is in a subtle interstice, halfway between two protected areas, classified Natura 2000. With their vacuums’ pipe and their sieves, this dredges ship would release a huge plume that would spread to the west by high tide and to the east by low tide. The plume of dust did not even have time to fall to the bottom that a new one would be released. I am not opposed to the principle of extracting marine sand, but water disorder in these natural areas, this is an endangered photosynthesis, algae disappearing, a whole ecosystem condemned “explains Alain Bidal.
