Environment
Users are reminded of the importance of taking environmental issues into consideration, in particular through the following mandatory actions:
- Cleaning your boat with a spray gun
- Selectively sort using the Clean Points provided for this purpose,
- Limiting electricity consumption
- Become actors in the fight against pollution (bunkering, use of polluting products, etc.)
- Do not scrape the seabed with the anchor
- Do not throw anything overboard
Bonifacio marina obtains European certification
The European “Clean Ports” certification obtained in 2019 was successfully renewed in 2021. It reflects a strong desire to make concrete commitments to fight for the preservation of aquatic environments and the sustainable development of coastal and marine activities.
These actions enable us to better control chronic and accidental pollution and toxic waste from port activities, in accordance with the regulations in force. A section is also dedicated to water and energy saving.
Clean Ports is the only European certification that values an environmental approach of excellence. It is with a strong political will and the implementation of concrete actions that the Commune of Bonifacio has committed itself to the protection of biodiversity and the sustainable development of its port.
The AFAQ Clean Ports Active in Biodiversity certification completes the system and recognises ports committed to concrete actions to protect and restore the fauna and flora of the coastline.
In order for their commitments to be recognised, marinas that have taken the entire Clean Harbours approach have their practices checked by an independent third-party organisation, according to a reference system of 17 criteria established at European level. This guarantees a total independence of decision and a real objective value of the attribution of the certification
Over the last three years, nearly 200,000 euros have been invested for actions to safeguard biodiversity in the marina:
- Environmental diagnostic study
- Establishment of means to fight against chronic pollution: development of selective sorting, operation of a pump for wastewater …
- Establishment of means to fight against accidental pollution: upgrading equipment, exercises …
- Training of port staff in environmental management: clean ports, CEDRE …
Bonifacio Marina gets the International Blue Flag label
Bonifacio Marina on the way to environmental excellence! After the renewal of its Clean Ports certification a year ago and the active biodiversity certification, Bonifacio Marina is now renewing its Blue Flag label.
Present in 46 countries on all continents, this international label with a strong tourist connotation, is the symbol of an exemplary environmental quality. Blue Flag marinas are places where the protection of the environment and the marine environment is a priority. This certification recognises Bonifacio Marina’s commitment to local biodiversity in the port and its area of influence (terrestrial or marine/lacustrine/riverine).
The criteria of the Blue Flag are grouped into 4 main families: environmental education, waste management, environmental management and site management.
Among the actions implemented by Bonifacio Marina:
Our adhesion to the operation “I sail, I sort”. The objective: to develop sorting through awareness and material support for boaters. A bag dedicated to the sorting of recyclable waste is given to boaters who also have access to a dispenser of 30L bin bags for their non-recyclable waste. Flags and posters indicate the port’s commitment to this operation.
The creation of an information and environmental awareness zone. An interactive screen has been placed in the harbour master’s office giving access to useful information for yachtsmen and largely oriented towards environmental awareness.
The port has decided to make it compulsory to use a water pistol via a sign on the bollards. This approach is part of the municipality’s desire to make boaters aware of this issue.
Bonifacio Marina was one of the 5 ports to be certified for the year 2020 and has renewed its certification for 2021. These numerous recognitions concretise a strong political will and the implementation of concrete actions for the safeguard of biodiversity and sustainable development.
Thanks to this certification, Bonifacio Marina becomes one of the few French ports and the only island port to receive these distinctions.
LARGE YACHT LOCKERS IN SANT’AMANZA
THE PROJECT FOR THE CREATION OF MOORING AREAS AND LIGHT EQUIPMENT (ZMEL) FOR LARGE YACHTS, SUPPORTED BY THE MUNICIPALITY OF BONIFACIO, HAS BEEN OPERATIONAL SINCE AUGUST.
This project is the result of an analysis carried out jointly by the Town Hall, the Corsican Prefecture, the DREAL, the DDTM, the Corsican Environment Office, the Bouches de Bonifacio Nature Reserve and the University of Corsica.
It responds to the studies linked to the destruction of the seabed and to the orders of the Maritime Prefecture prohibiting all anchoring on the Posidonia meadow within the Bouches de Bonifacio Nature Reserve. A sustainable balance between environmental protection and maintaining economic activity is necessary. Indeed, the Commune is home to 44% of the large yachting fleet in Corsica and we note that 77% of vessels over 24 metres anchor on Posidonia meadows, which play an essential role.
A mooring plan was chosen with 14 eco-designed concrete boxes with hydraulic transparency, distributed over two MELZs in the Gulf of Sant’Amanza and a weather buoy.
Its main objectives are to preserve the seabed, improve the management of visitors and improve safety and reception conditions.
This is the first time that such structures have been installed in Corsica, making Bonifacio a pilot site in this field!
The Biohut project
Artificial habitats with ecological functions
Supported by the Corsican Environment Office and the Water Agency for the creation of artificial habitats (BIOHUT) under pontoons to provide a refuge for post-larvae and juvenile fish.
Because fish are both very vulnerable and very dependent on the coastline when they are in the post-larval stage, the company Ecocean has developed Biohut: artificial nurseries installed in harbours, in order to restore their ecological functionality.
Biohut® is an artificial habitat, made of steel cages filled with oyster shells and manufactured from 100% recyclable materials, which enables the ecological function of nurseries to be restored to small rocky and sandy bottoms that have been degraded by the construction of coastal developments (ports, outfalls, offshore wind farms etc.).
- 15 species of fish identified
- Several species of halieutic interest: various sans, cageots, muges, cathares, pink shrimps, scallops…
- About 1800 fishes concerned by the Biohut
- Numerous awareness and information tools
- 44 species of vagile fauna
- 3 educational days for schoolchildren in Bonifacio
- 13 species of fauna and flora fixed
The process aims to restore the ecosystem service of nursery.
