7.2.2.4 Charente River Basin (Atlantic Coast)
The Charente river basin in SW France is predominantly rural and covers an area of
10,500 km
2 linked to the sea by the Pertuis Charente River with a large tidal
influence. Agriculture represents the main hinterland activity, and major urbanization and industrialization can be found at Port Atlantique-La Rochelle (8.4 million
ton per year). The region is characterized by a contrast between the densely populated coastal fringe and the rural territory with a low population density. Industrial
activity is dominated by agri-food and wine industry around the cities of Cognac and
Angoulême. Tourism in the region is significant. At the river mouth, the Charente
River supplies fresh water to the oyster basin of Marennes-Oléron. Fresh water is
essential for shellfish farming, which depends on a sensitive balance between the
temperature, salinity and acidity of coastal waters and inland supply of fresh water
and nutrients. The Marennes-Oléron bay is the first European shellfish farming
centre for spat production and for the number of shellfish companies (SMEs).
Charente-Maritime is home to three major marshes, the cultivation of which poses
a risk of imbalance, thus endangering the fauna and the flora. There is a high concern
for diffuse pollution by nutrients and pesticides of surface water and their influence
on the drinking water supply. Most inland watercourses suffer from droughts and
periodic low water levels, making water supply a challenge. Thus, the main policy
issue for the region is the current and future supply and quality of the fresh water for
different functions (drinking water, agriculture, industry and shellfish farming).
7.2.2.5 Danube Mouth: Black Sea (Black Sea Region)
Due to the semi-enclosed location and size of the contributing catchment area, the
Black Sea is vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures and pollution sources. The
nutrient regime of the Danube has undergone significant changes due to increased
economic activity, use of fertilizers, wastewater discharges and use of detergents,
leading to changes in the Black Sea ecosystem. Eutrophication results in decreased
transparency, higher quantities of organic matter decomposition and oxygen depletion with bottom waters becoming seasonally hypoxic or even anoxic. Since the
early 1990s, decreasing nutrient inputs has resulted in signs of recovery. Today, the
Black Sea catchment is still under pressure from excess nutrients and contaminants
due to emissions from agriculture, tourism, industry and urbanization in the Danube
basin. This hampers the achievement of a Good Environmental Status by 2020, as
required by the EU-MSFD. The increased rates of eutrophication, pollution
and bioaccumulation affect both the biodiversity (including Natura 2000 sites) and
fishing sectors. Mass tourism is an important growth sector for the Black Sea and
ecotourism is becoming more important in the region. Approximately 65% of the
Romanian coastline is located in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and subject to
tourism regulations, resulting in conflicts between nature conservation and economic
development. Failing to resolve these conflicts has economic and political impacts.
7 Increasing Land-Sea Synergies and Coastal-Rural Collaboration for a Healthy. . .
115
The Charente river basin in SW France is predominantly rural and covers an area of
10,500 km
2 linked to the sea by the Pertuis Charente River with a large tidal
influence. Agriculture represents the main hinterland activity, and major urbanization and industrialization can be found at Port Atlantique-La Rochelle (8.4 million
ton per year). The region is characterized by a contrast between the densely populated coastal fringe and the rural territory with a low population density. Industrial
activity is dominated by agri-food and wine industry around the cities of Cognac and
Angoulême. Tourism in the region is significant. At the river mouth, the Charente
River supplies fresh water to the oyster basin of Marennes-Oléron. Fresh water is
essential for shellfish farming, which depends on a sensitive balance between the
temperature, salinity and acidity of coastal waters and inland supply of fresh water
and nutrients. The Marennes-Oléron bay is the first European shellfish farming
centre for spat production and for the number of shellfish companies (SMEs).
Charente-Maritime is home to three major marshes, the cultivation of which poses
a risk of imbalance, thus endangering the fauna and the flora. There is a high concern
for diffuse pollution by nutrients and pesticides of surface water and their influence
on the drinking water supply. Most inland watercourses suffer from droughts and
periodic low water levels, making water supply a challenge. Thus, the main policy
issue for the region is the current and future supply and quality of the fresh water for
different functions (drinking water, agriculture, industry and shellfish farming).
7.2.2.5 Danube Mouth: Black Sea (Black Sea Region)
Due to the semi-enclosed location and size of the contributing catchment area, the
Black Sea is vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures and pollution sources. The
nutrient regime of the Danube has undergone significant changes due to increased
economic activity, use of fertilizers, wastewater discharges and use of detergents,
leading to changes in the Black Sea ecosystem. Eutrophication results in decreased
transparency, higher quantities of organic matter decomposition and oxygen depletion with bottom waters becoming seasonally hypoxic or even anoxic. Since the
early 1990s, decreasing nutrient inputs has resulted in signs of recovery. Today, the
Black Sea catchment is still under pressure from excess nutrients and contaminants
due to emissions from agriculture, tourism, industry and urbanization in the Danube
basin. This hampers the achievement of a Good Environmental Status by 2020, as
required by the EU-MSFD. The increased rates of eutrophication, pollution
and bioaccumulation affect both the biodiversity (including Natura 2000 sites) and
fishing sectors. Mass tourism is an important growth sector for the Black Sea and
ecotourism is becoming more important in the region. Approximately 65% of the
Romanian coastline is located in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and subject to
tourism regulations, resulting in conflicts between nature conservation and economic
development. Failing to resolve these conflicts has economic and political impacts.
7 Increasing Land-Sea Synergies and Coastal-Rural Collaboration for a Healthy. . .
115