The Conseil Général de la Gironde works at several different levels to support the development of the maritime sector. Objectives: to achieve continuous modernisation of the sector and contribute to the revitalisation of the profession Apart from the Department's commitment to supporting and developing professional activities, its responsibilities also extend to the preservation and upkeep of the Gironde's coasts. By coordinating its actions in various domains, like a large number of different levers, it is able to focus on fostering sustainable development, which is equally synonymous with quality.

Aquaculture: measures in close relation with the environment

Sustainable development continues to maintain an important presence in aquaculture activities. The Gironde's aquaculture specialities lie in the breeding of sturgeons for the production of caviar and extensive prawn farming in the Médoc region. Various diversification and development opportunities are likely to appear over the coming years.

The assistance schemes are put in place to support operations for the control of effluents from intensive fish farming or for energy management, in order to reinforce the protection of the aquatic environment.

Oyster farming: support for modernisation

The Department's specific assistance scheme allows the creation or the alteration of numerous oyster-farming boats, for production or shipping. This offers an opportunity for shellfish shipping establishments to ensure their conformity with European standards.

Renovation work is carried out within the framework of the plans for the organised modernisation of ports established as from 1993. Drinking water, water purification and seawater management networks are set up to ensure accordance with recent changes in the business.

Support is provided for day-to-day activities, such as professional technical support and cleaning of oyster farms.

Encouragement for professional initiatives takes many different forms: support for the creation of certification labels for Arcachon produce, the organisation of markets for spat and mature oysters for consumption.

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Fishing: different actions in favour of professionals

The Conseil Général is careful to ensure the maintenance of sustainable fishing volumes, in accordance with European policies for the management of exploitable resources. Its support to the fishing sector takes many forms:

- assistance for modernisation of working ships, in order to improve the quality of the products caught and the work and safety conditions on board.

- setting up actions to encourage maintenance of economic activity in the ports and direct and indirect employment.

- support for actions in favour of territorial cohesion in order to promote the local trade circuits for fish and to bring the producer and consumer closer together, thanks, in particular, to a site development grant.

- specific types of technical assistance for the development of professional freshwater fishing.

The management of ports

In association with the port authorities under its authority, the Conseil Général manages 22 ports in the Department. It acts as owner manager of 12 ports that remain under its direct responsibility (laying out of platforms, quays, road, rail and waterways communications, various networks and public port facilities) and manages the other 10 ports in the form of concessions to the communes.

A long-term programme is in place for general renovation of the ports. Its objectives: to support and develop professional activities in fishing and shellfish farming, and also in shipbuilding and repairs as well as passenger transport.

The Department also takes work managed by the communes into account within these port areas. In addition it initiates overall strategic programmes involving the communes holding port concessions, such as the Master Plan for the handling of Port Silt and the implementation of a "clean ports" policy.

Further to transfer of powers, the Conseil Général also manages the real estate and issues Temporary Occupancy Authorisations (Autorisations d'Occupation Temporaire) (AOT). The latter allow occupants to lay out the port area for the development of their own business activity, in return for an annual licence fee. For the promotion of economic growth in the Department's ports, the Conseil Général supports the establishment of occupancies constitutive of real rights for maritime sector companies' real estate projects.

Download the list of the 22 ports managed by the Conseil Général

Download the map of the 22 ports of the Gironde

The Coastal Programme in the Planning Contract

The Planning Contract's Coastal Programme is designed to deal with the issues of sustainable development of the Gironde's coast and creation of the best conditions for quality shellfish farming. Within this framework, over 15 M euros have been invested in partnerships in order to develop two actions:

- the restoration of the hydraulic system of Arcachon Bay, which consists of dredging some of the bay's principal channels, as well as handling and draining off the port sediments, thus contributing to the preservation of the marine environment in favour of shellfish farming.
 

- the cleaning of the publicly-owned areas of Arcachon bay, thus permitting maintenance and de-silting of the oyster farms, which goes hand-in-hand with a programme for reducing wild oyster reef levels.

Within the framework of this Coastal Programme of the Planning Contract, the Department plans to construct an Oyster Farming Products Transfer Centre. These facilities will make it possible to process the residues from the cleaning of the oyster farming concessions at sea and also the waste from the oyster-farming activities of the ports of the south of Arcachon Bay.

For further information:

Contact the Coastal and Integrated Territorial Planning Division (Service du Littoral et de l'Aménagement Intégré) at the Department of the Economy and Employment (Direction de l'Economie et de l'Emploi)