Holly is the editor of Dockwalk. She grew up racing sailboats in England before switching to the world of superyachts and moving across the pond to Fort Lauderdale.
Two yacht captains have been fined by the Marseille Maritime Court for anchoring in protected Posidonia meadows on the Côte d’Azur, in line with efforts to preserve the Mediterranean’s marine ecosystems.
The captain of the 51-meter My Falcon was fined €15,000 for anchoring in a prohibited area near Cannes in June 2023. Additionally, the Turkish national was ordered to pay €22,423 in compensation for the ecological damage caused. These funds will be allocated to restoration projects managed by the Rhône Méditerranée Corse Water Agency. The court also awarded €4,000 in “moral damages” to the environmental associations France NatThe captain of the 51-meter My Falcon was fined €15,000 for anchoring in a prohibited area near Cannes in June 2023. The Turkish national was also ordered to pay €22,423 in compensation for the ecological damage caused. These funds will be allocated to restoration projects managed by the Rhône Méditerranée Corse Water Agency. Additionally, the court awarded €4,000 in moral damages to the environmental associations France Nature Environnement (FNE) and the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), which brought the case.
The captain of the 26-meter Take Off was fined €20,000 for repeated anchoring violations between 2021 and 2022 in restricted zones near Cannes and Saint-Tropez. The Hungarian national received a one-year ban from French territorial waters and was ordered to pay €86,537 in compensation for ecological harm, along with €5,000 in moral damages to the same associations.
“This case reinforces the importance of preserving Posidonia meadows, which are indispensable for marine biodiversity, carbon storage, and coastal protection,” said an FNE spokesperson.
Posidonia meadows are essential for oxygen production and carbon absorption. These underwater seagrass beds also provide habitats for marine life and protect against coastal erosion. Although they have been protected under French law since 1988, they remain vulnerable to damage caused by yacht anchors and chains. France has implemented stricter regulations, including a 2020 ban on anchoring yachts over 24 meters in designated zones.
The court established that any anchoring in restricted Posidonia zones is presumed to cause ecological damage, placing the burden of proof on the vessel operators. A spokesperson for the Préfecture Maritime de la Méditerranée stated that penalties are intended to ensure those responsible for environmental damage contribute to restoration efforts.
The court’s rulings reflect increased enforcement of anchoring regulations to protect these sensitive ecosystems. For maps of protected Posidonia zones, visit the Préfecture Maritime de la Méditerranée website.