On March 28th, the Maison de l’Océan in Paris hosted “Printemps de l’Océan”, a high-level event organized by the French Committee of IUCN focused on advancing marine conservation efforts.
On March 28th, the Maison de l’Océan in Paris hosted “Printemps de l’Océan”, a high-level event organized by the French Committee of IUCN, with support of Pew Bertarelli, the Blue Nature Alliance, the Oceanographic Institute, Albert I, Prince of Monaco Foundation, ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in June 2025. With over 90 participants, the day focused on advancing marine conservation efforts.
The event featured four workshops, one of which centered on "territories". In this workshop, MedReAct presented the Mediterranean Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs), highlighting the challenges in the protection of the Gulf of Lion and the success of the Jabuka/Pomo Pit FRA. This discussion underscored the critical role of France in marine protection. Greenpeace also spoke about the need for strict protection areas, emphasizing the importance of establishing refuges for marine life.
The event ended with a screening of a trailer of “The Good Story”, a documentary featuring the success of the Jabuka/Pomo FRA, which resonated with attendees, many of whom were unfamiliar with the concept of FRAs. The discussions sparked numerous questions, making it clear that the event successfully raised awareness and inspired further action toward stronger ocean protection.
The day ended with a call to action by members of the French Committee of IUCN, urging France to make bold announcements at UNOC and encouraging global leaders to move forward meaningful actions for ocean protection.
To watch “The Good Story”: https://medreact.org/the-good-story-una-storia-di-protezione-del-mar-mediterraneo/
