Medam is a database of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) monitoring program for the Mediterranean Sea, "Benthic Habitats and Seabed Integrity" component.
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The Medam website has been integrated into the European Sea Atlas of the European Commission.
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The Medam website has been updated significantly in 2016 and 2017.
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MEDAM is the sister website of MEDAMP, the observatory of the protection of biodiversity : www.medamp.org
Any quotation or use of elements of this data management system should be mentioned as "MEDAM Université Côte d'Azur CNRS ECOSEAS"

SURFACE AREAS RECLAIMED FROM THE SEA BY REDEVELOPMENT

The overall surface areas reclaimed from the sea (5 302.67 ha) have been built over (thus becoming terrestrial) or enclosed (bodies of water within harbours, artificial beaches or embanked rivers: environments that have been everlastingly disturbed). They are also very unequally distributed from region to region. The accumulated total surface area of the 1 050 reclamations from the sea amounts for all of the continental French Mediterranean coast (not including Monaco and Berre) to 5 062.08 ha (= PACA without Berre + Languedoc Roussillon),
including :
4 002.98 ha for the coast of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (not including Monaco and Berre),
1 059.10 ha for the coast of Languedoc Roussillon.
The figure is 240.59 ha for the coast of Corsica.
For Monaco, the total surface area reclaimed from the sea or enclosed amounts to 91.93 ha and for the Etang de Berre to 632.35 ha.
The surface areas reclaimed from the sea by county (département), by urban or rural council (commune) or by ECD water mass are available in the « numerical data ».
The surface area reclaimed from the sea by each redevelopment is given under the heading « reclamations ».
Comments and conclusions are given under the heading « The Record ».

Surfaces gagnées sur la mer par les aménagements (SOURCE)

Les surfaces globales gagnées sur la mer ([FRANCE_Surface_gagnee] ha) ont été couvertes (devenues terrestres) ou endiguées ( les plans d’eaux des ports, des plages artificielles ou des embouchures de rivières endiguées : milieux boulversés à jamais). Elles sont aussi très inégalement réparties selon les régions. En effet, le cumul des surfaces des [FRANCE_Nbre_amenagements] aménagements gagnés sur la mer s’élève pour toutes les côtes continentales françaises de la Méditerranée (hors Monaco et Berre) à [PACA_LR_Surface_gagnee] ha (= PACA sans Berre + Languedoc Roussillon),
dont :
[PACA_Surface_gagnee] ha pour les côtes de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (sans Monaco et sans Berre),
[LR_Surface_gagnee] ha pour les côtes du Languedoc Roussillon.

Il est de [CORSE_Surface_gagnee] ha pour les côtes de la Corse.

Pour Monaco la surface totale gagnée sur la mer ou endiguée s’élève à [MONACO_Surface_gagnee] ha et pour l’étang de Berre [BERRE_Surface_gagnee] ha.

Les surfaces gagnées sur la mer par les aménagements par département, par commune ou par masse d’eau DCE sont disponibles dans les « données chiffrées Â».

Les surfaces gagnées sur la mer par chaque aménagement est donné dans « aménagements Â».

Des commentaires ou conclusions sont proposées dans « bilan ».

COASTLINE ARTIFICIALISED BY RECLAMATIONS FROM THE SEA (SOURCE)

Le cumul du linéaire du trait de côte sous forme d’amoncellement de blocs rocheux, de tétrapodes en beton ou de murs en béton ([FRANCE_Lineaire_artif] km pour l’ensemble des côtes françaises de la Méditerranée, hors Monaco et Berre) est très inégal selon les régions.

En effet, ce linéaire naturel (initial) artificialisé s’élève, pour toutes les côtes continentales françaises de la Méditerranée (hors Monaco et Berre), à [PACA_LR_Lineaire_artif] km (= PACA sans Berre + Languedoc Roussillon), dont :

 - [PACA_Lineaire_artif] km pour les côtes de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (sans Monaco et sans Berre),

 - [LR_Lineaire_artif] km pour les côtes du Languedoc Roussillon.

Il est de [CORSE_Lineaire_artif] km pour les côtes de la Corse.

Pour Monaco nous avons distingué [MONACO_Lineaire_artif] km de littoral artificialisé par des aménagements gagnés sur la mer et pour Berre [BERRE_Lineaire_artif] km.

Le linéaire artificialisé par les aménagements gagnés sur la mer par département, par commune ou par masse d’eau DCE est disponible dans les « données chiffrées ».

Le linéaire artificialisé par chaque aménagement est donné dans « aménagements ».

 

The accumulated length of coastline taking the form of piles of rock blocks, concrete tetrapods of concrete sea walls ([FRANCE_Lineaire_artif] km for the whole of the French Mediterranean coast, not including Monaco and Berre) is very unequal from region to region.
The natural (original) coastline that has been artificialised amounts for the whole of the continental French Mediterranean coast (not including Monaco and Berre), to [PACA_LR_Lineaire_artif] km (= PACA without Berre + Languedoc Roussillon), including :
 - [PACA_Lineaire_artif] km for the coast of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (not including Monaco and Berre),
 - [LR_Lineaire_artif] km for the coast of Languedoc Roussillon.
The figure is [CORSE_Lineaire_artif] km for the coast of Corsica.

For Monaco, we have estimated [MONACO_Lineaire_artif] km of coastline artificialised by reclamations from the sea and for Berre [BERRE_Lineaire_artif] km.
The coastline artificialised by reclamations by county (département), by urban or rural district (commune) or by ECD water mass is available in the « numerical data ».
The coastline artificialised by each reclamation is given under the heading « reclamations ».

Nombre d’aménagements gagnés sur la mer > 100 m² (SOURCE)

Les caractéristiques des aménagements considérés ont été précisées dans la page d’accueil « Voir les définitions et caractéristiques de ces types d’aménagements ».

Le nombre total d’aménagements gagnés sur la mer pour toutes les côtes françaises de la Méditerranée est de [FRANCE_Nbre_amenagement]. Il est de [MONACO_Nbre_amenagement] pour les côtes monégasques et de [BERRE_Nbre_amenagement] pour le littoral de l’étang de Berre (soit [TOTAL_Nbre_amenagement] pour l’ensemble des côtes incluses dans MEDAM).

La répartition de ces aménagements et donc des impacts induits est très inégale selon les régions. En effet, le nombre total d’aménagements gagnés sur la mer pour toutes les côtes continentales françaises de la Méditerranée (hors Monaco et Berre) est de [PACA_LR_Nbre_amenagement] (= PACA sans Berre + Languedoc Roussillon), dont :

 - [PACA_Nbre_amenagement] pour les côtes de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (sans Monaco et sans Berre),
 - [LR_Nbre_amenagement] pour les côtes du Languedoc Roussillon.

Il est de [CORSE_Nbre_amenagement] pour les côtes de la Corse.

Parmi l’ensemble des aménagements gagnés sur la mer sur les côtes françaises de la Méditerranée ([FRANCE_Nbre_amenagement] – hors Monaco et Berre) nous avons dénombré :

 - [FRANCE_Nbre_port] ports,
 - [FRANCE_Nbre_port_abri] ports abris,
 - [FRANCE_Nbre_petit_abri_prive] ports abris privés,
 - [FRANCE_Nbre_terre_plein] terre-pleins,
 - [FRANCE_Nbre_plage_alveolaire] plages artificielles en alvéole,
 - [FRANCE_Nbre_epi] épis,
 - [FRANCE_Nbre_appontement] appontements,
 - [FRANCE_Nbre_endigage_embouchure] endigages d’embouchure.

Le nombre d’aménagements gagnés sur la mer par département, par commune ou par masse d’eau DCE est disponible dans les « données chiffrées ».
Les caractéristiques de chaque aménagement sont données dans « aménagements ».

SURFACE AREA OF SHALLOW BOTTOMS PRIOR TO ANY RECLAMATION

Calculation of the surface area of shallow bottoms was based on the outline delimited:
 - on land, for sea level (0 m), by the line of the natural coastline (see particular cases in outline of original coastline)
 - at sea,
     + for the -10 m and -20 m isobaths , the marine charts of the Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Mer (SHOM) were digitalised,
     + for the delimitation of countries (France-Italy, France-Monaco and France-Spain) and the ECD water masses, the official limits were taken into account. On the other hand, for the delimitation between the regions Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur and Languedoc Roussillon, and all the counties and urban and rural districts (départements and communes), we have drawn artificial delimitations since these administrative subdivisions have no official extension in the sea (at sea, it is the public maritime domain of the State). The line adopted follows the administrative limits on land and is extended out to sea perpendicularly to the coast.

The maps used are of different scales: in each case we have used the most accurate maps (the largest scale available). In contrast to the linear measurements, the surface area measurements are less exposed to major variations depending on the scale and the geography of the coastline. Measurements are a little more precise on the largest scale maps for irregular coastlines.
Several particular cases, in particular related to redevelopments partly constructed on areas excavated on land, superimposed constructions and urban and district borders that overlap a reclamation site, are cited for each reclamation concerned in the descriptive note for each reclamation (in the ‘Comments’ section of each descriptive note).

The total surface area of the zone richest in marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean (between 0 and -20 m) extends:
 - for the whole of the French Mediterranean coast (not including Monaco or Berre), over 1688 km² (807.23 km² between 0 and -10 m and 880.46 km² between -10 m and -20 m),
 - for the coasts of Monaco, over 0.9 km² ( 0.57 km² between 0 and -10 m and 0,35 km² between -10 m and -20 m),
 - for the Etang de Berre, over 163 km² (162.07 km² between 0 and -10 m and 0.85 km² between -10 m and -20 m),
 - for the whole of the coasts included in MEDAM, over 1851 km² ( 969.87 km² between 0 and -10 m and 881.65 km² between -10 and -20 m).

Measurements were made on the SHOM maps digitalised using a scanner then geo-referenced with Arcgis 10.

The total surface area of the shallow bottoms richest in biodiversity (0 to -20 m) extends:
 - on the French continental coast (not including Monaco or Berre), over 1188 km² ( 554.18 km² between 0 and -10 m and 634.04 km² between -10 and -20 m),
 - on the coast of Corsica, over 499 km² (253.06 km² between 0 et -10 m and 246.47 km² between -10 m and -20 m),
 - on the coast of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (not including Monaco or Berre), over 669 km² (308.88 km² between 0 and -10 m and 359.45 km² between -10 m and -20 m),
 - on the coast of Languedoc-Roussillon, over 520 km² (245.30 km² between 0 and -10 m and 274.54 km² between -10 m and -20 m).
All these data show that the zone richest in biodiversity in the Mediterranean represents a very narrow strip along the French Mediterranean coast. It is in this linear marine oasis that the light enables the development of most of the under-sea plants (quantitatively and in number of species). It is upon this ‘oasis’ that the redeveloped areas have been reclaimed from the sea.
The data presented in MEDAM provides a basis for specifying the wide differences that may be observed according to the type of coast: the surface areas of shallow bottoms are considerably more extensive off alluvial coasts (sand) than off rocky coasts. For example, off the coast of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, there are more extensive shallow bottoms along the 108 km of coastline of the Rhône delta (from Martigues to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer), or 349.66 km² , than off the 745 km of mainly rocky coastline from Menton to Martigues (318.68 km²). Similarly, of the mainly sandy coastline of Languedoc-Roussillon, there are more extensive shallow bottoms (520 km² for 226 km of coastline) than around the whole coastline of Corsica (499 km² for 977 km of coastline).

The details of surface areas by county (département), urban and rural district (commune) or by ECD water mass, are available in the numerical data.

 
 
 
 
 
 

PHOTOS

An image data base has been developed in order to present visually the changes in the coastline at the sites of reclamation redevelopment schemes.

 

1628 photographs are available at this site, with ongoing updating of the image bank. The photographs may be recent or more historical (views of the coast prior to reclamation have been sought). Some are photographs taken from the air others at ground level (sea or land).

 

The images made available are of low resolution. The photographers are cited and may in some cases be contacted by e-mail (list of photographers). Any new photos or similar documents are welcome: contact us to upload them ! (aims, procedure, conditions)

 

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CARTOGRAPHY

Access the cartographical data base to view the contour lines of all the reclamations and the contours of all the bathymetric and administrative limits.

RECLAMATION SCHEMES

Access data on the characteristics, description, year of redevelopment, illustrations and localisation of each reclamation > 100 m².

HISTORICAL RECORD AND PATTERNS OF PROGRESSION

Access the historical record data base: the construction of each structure or part of a structure has been dated. This data provides the basis for showing on bar charts the progression over time of reclamations and their impact on the basis of administrative units (country, region, county ( département), municipal and rural district (commune) or ECD water mass).

THE RECORD

For all French Mediterranean coasts (excluding Monaco and the Etang de Berre) (see ‘details’ for noteworthy regional or more local particularities).


MEDAM Inventory :

Original coastline : 2 062 km (> see details)

Surface area of shallow water bottoms prior to any reclamation (> see details) :

Between 0 and -10 m : 80 723 ha soit 807 km²

Between -10 m and -20 m : 88 046 ha soit 880 km²

Between 0 and -20 m : 168 769 ha soit 1 688 km²
Between -20 and -50 m : 330 030 ha soit 3 300 km²

 

Number of reclamations (>100 m²) : 1 050 (> see details)

 

Coastline ‘artificialised’ by reclamation : 223.02 km (> see details)

Surface areas reclaimed by these redevelopments (> see details) :

Between 0 et -10 m : 4 226.13 ha

Between -10 m et -20 m : 903.70 ha

Between 0 et -20 m : 5 129.83 ha

 

MEDAM Impacts :

Rate of ‘artificialisation’ of coastline (linear) : 12.27 % (> see details)

Rate of irreversible destruction of shallow water bottoms by reclamation (> see details) :

Between 0 et -10 m : 5.24 % 

Between -10 m et -20 m : 1.03 % 

Between 0 et -20 m : 3.04 %

 

Progression :
A step in the right direction: a clear slowing down of reclamation from 1985  (> see details).

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