Regional Schemes for the Development of Marine Aquaculture (SRDAM) and Access to New Farming Sites on the French Mediterranean Coast

Abstract

In France, the absence of further development of marine fish farming over the last 20 years has been attributed to regulatory constraints, and to the difficult access to new farming sites, due to high competition between different uses in the coastal zone, and to the shortcomings of governance in these areas. The regional schemes for the development of marine aquaculture (SRDAM) were introduced by the French Law on modernization of agriculture and fisheries (LMAP, July 27, 2010). The goals of SRDAMs are to make an inventory of existing aquaculture sites and to identify potential sites suitable for aquaculture, and to conciliate the development of marine aquaculture with other coastal activities. They are expected to allow access to new fish farming sites. Our study focuses on the three SRDAMs on French Mediterranean coast, in order to investigate to which extent the SRDAMs offer opportunities for a new development of marine fish farming, in line with the quantified objectives of the French national strategic plan for the development of sustainable aquaculture. Based on desk work and on enquiries with professional representatives, administration, and experts, our study aims to analyze the building process and the results of SRDAMs and discusses the constraints to an extension of marine fish farming.