Creation of the first French wave reserve
The commune of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon and the association Hydrodiversité have officially opened the first wave reserve in France. It is a first in the country. Voted by the city council of the Morbihan town, the device aims to protect the wave of Port-Blanc on the wild coast of the peninsula of Quiberon.
Protecting the waves and their identity
Erwan Simon, the man behind the initiative explains the origin of it. "As a surfing exploration specialist, I often travel in search of unknown spots and waves. I was interested in the notion of DNA and wave identity. A scientist talked to me about the notion of hydrodiversity as there is biodiversity. Wave reserves exist abroad. With the confinement, I travelled less and by digging the subject, I wondered why it did not exist in France whereas we have the 2nd maritime surface. The idea is to promote and protect this hydrodiversity. Unfortunately, I have surfed waves that have since disappeared, due to dredging operations, creation of dykes... We can also ask questions about the effect of planned offshore wind turbines on the swell."
With this new reserve, wave advocates want to be part of coastal planning decisions. "There is a legal vacuum in these areas. The municipality is competent up to 300 meters from the shore. Today, it is a bit like a communal forest. The idea is to be consulted on issues that may impact the wave reserve" explains Erwan Simon.
Defending the waves throughout France
The concept launched by Hydrodiversity has attracted the attention of other coastlines in France and overseas. The stakes go beyond water sports and board sports. "It's not just a surfer's fantasy" insists the founder of the association. "There is an economic interest, for surfing of course, but also for tourism more widely. In Quiberon, people come to see the waves in the landscape. More widely, they have a cultural role and in the legends in Polynesia for example. We have also had interested contacts from the Basque Country or from the DOM-TOM. We are going to develop tools and multiply the reserves to avoid the financial, natural and sporting waste of certain projects" concludes Erwan Simon.
