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L’OCÉAN OU LE PLASTIQUE | 23

COMPANY SELECTION
Integrated conservation:

the right choice

Organised by Côte d'Azur University in partnership with BlueSeeds and Coral
Guardian, the conference combined the scientific, social, and economic aspects

of integrated conservation of the marine environment

Faced with the challenges of a rapidly changing cli- SCIENCE IS CENTRAL
mate and ocean environment, how can we preserve TO THE PROCESS
biodiversity and maintain the ecosystem functions
that support coastal populations? This question was The panel opened with a discussion on the role of
already being raised in the 1960s by the American science in marine conservation. "Scientific research
economist Kenneth Boulding, a pioneer of sustai- provides the data needed to understand and protect
nable development who compared the Earth to a marine ecosystems, and to develop effective conser-
"spaceship" with limited resources. In this respect, in- vation strategies," says Professor Cécile Sabourault,
tegrated marine conservation embraces two mutually Vice-President of International Affairs at the Côte
reinforcing objectives: the health of marine ecosys- d’Azur University, and Director of the ECOSEAS la-
tems and the well-being of the people who depend boratory, emphasising the role of universities in provi-
on them. This was the theme of the conference held ding solutions to current socio-environmental crises.
on 24 March 2023 at the Monaco Yacht Club. Among the programmes for monitoring the effects of
marine protected areas (MPAs) on the ecosystem and
fisheries, the RECIF and FishMPABlue academic ap-
proaches were presented.