200
locality, while, fi nally, legislators defi ne the estuary as the waters between the transverse border
of the sea (TBS) [separation of the maritime public domain (MPD) and the fl uvial public domain
(FPD)] and the limit of saltwater intrusion (LSI)
[boundary between the maritime and freshwater
fi sheries] (Desroy et al. 2004 ).
2.3
Accumulation of Protective
Measures
Nonetheless, despite the diverse negative environmental impacts, the Seine estuary is still a
highly favourable habitat for the juveniles of
numerous fi sh species, and the ornithological
richness is one of the main positive characteristics of its natural heritage (Dauvin 2002 ). The
richness of this natural heritage can be judged
from the overabundance of regulatory measures
and inventories that have been developed over the
years. But this ‘overprotection’ is more apparent
than real. In fact, out of a total of nine statuses
accorded for protection and knowledge of the
environment, only three appear essential: the
national natural reserves, the regional nature
park ‘ Boucles de la Seine Normande ’, and the
territorial acquisitions of the coastline and lakeshore conservancy (Conservatoire des Espaces
Littoraux et des Rivages Lacustres, CELRL).
These statuses correspond to more or less
extended zones with their own management and
governance (Alard 2002 ). Due to this organisation, there are six main scientifi c committees
with different limits of competence: the scientifi c
committee of the ‘Groupement d’Intérêt Public
Seine Aval’ (GIP-SA), the scientifi c committee of
the National Natural Reserve of the Seine
Estuary, the scientifi c committee of the regional
natural park, the scientifi c committee of the natural heritage of the Lower Normandy region and
Upper Normandy region and the scientifi c committee of the Seine estuary (Lozachmeur and
Dauvin 2008 ). No institutional links exist
between these committees.
3
The Port 2000 Project
and the Emergence
of a Global Plan of the Seine
Estuary Management
3.1
Port 2000
On 5 December 1998, the French Government
decided to take into consideration the Le Havre
harbour expansion project called ‘Port 2000’.
The decree stated that, since the development of
Le Havre harbour would create jobs, the project
was important for the French economy as a whole
and for the economy of the lower Seine valley in
particular. Nonetheless, the French state recognised the importance of the balance between the
economic development objectives connected
with Port 2000 and the environmental objectives
connected with the protection of the natural heritage (Hamm et al. 2001 ). The Port 2000 extension (2000–2005) and its compensatory actions
not only contributed to morpho-sedimentary
modifi cations of the estuary but also changed the
perception of the actors as regards the vulnerability of the Seine estuary and the need to promote a
global plan for its management (Hamm et al.
2001 ; Revue Travaux 2006 ).
The construction of Port 2000 was marked by
the importance of the public debate (the fi rst of
its type in France), which can be considered as
giving an opportunity to introduce a global environmental discussion on the whole estuary from the
Poses weir to the sea. This project also led to the
setting up of the council of the Estuary, whose aim
was to develop a basis for an improved vision of the
sustainable development of this estuarine territory
(Lozachmeur and Dauvin 2008 ). The monitoring
committee provided a venue for this debate.
The Seine estuary nature reserve was initially
created on 31 December 1997 covering a territory of 3,800 ha. However, at the request of the
European Commission, this was extended by the
Decree No 2004-1187 of 9 November 2004 to an
overall surface area of 8,528 ha.
J.-C. Dauvin
locality, while, fi nally, legislators defi ne the estuary as the waters between the transverse border
of the sea (TBS) [separation of the maritime public domain (MPD) and the fl uvial public domain
(FPD)] and the limit of saltwater intrusion (LSI)
[boundary between the maritime and freshwater
fi sheries] (Desroy et al. 2004 ).
2.3
Accumulation of Protective
Measures
Nonetheless, despite the diverse negative environmental impacts, the Seine estuary is still a
highly favourable habitat for the juveniles of
numerous fi sh species, and the ornithological
richness is one of the main positive characteristics of its natural heritage (Dauvin 2002 ). The
richness of this natural heritage can be judged
from the overabundance of regulatory measures
and inventories that have been developed over the
years. But this ‘overprotection’ is more apparent
than real. In fact, out of a total of nine statuses
accorded for protection and knowledge of the
environment, only three appear essential: the
national natural reserves, the regional nature
park ‘ Boucles de la Seine Normande ’, and the
territorial acquisitions of the coastline and lakeshore conservancy (Conservatoire des Espaces
Littoraux et des Rivages Lacustres, CELRL).
These statuses correspond to more or less
extended zones with their own management and
governance (Alard 2002 ). Due to this organisation, there are six main scientifi c committees
with different limits of competence: the scientifi c
committee of the ‘Groupement d’Intérêt Public
Seine Aval’ (GIP-SA), the scientifi c committee of
the National Natural Reserve of the Seine
Estuary, the scientifi c committee of the regional
natural park, the scientifi c committee of the natural heritage of the Lower Normandy region and
Upper Normandy region and the scientifi c committee of the Seine estuary (Lozachmeur and
Dauvin 2008 ). No institutional links exist
between these committees.
3
The Port 2000 Project
and the Emergence
of a Global Plan of the Seine
Estuary Management
3.1
Port 2000
On 5 December 1998, the French Government
decided to take into consideration the Le Havre
harbour expansion project called ‘Port 2000’.
The decree stated that, since the development of
Le Havre harbour would create jobs, the project
was important for the French economy as a whole
and for the economy of the lower Seine valley in
particular. Nonetheless, the French state recognised the importance of the balance between the
economic development objectives connected
with Port 2000 and the environmental objectives
connected with the protection of the natural heritage (Hamm et al. 2001 ). The Port 2000 extension (2000–2005) and its compensatory actions
not only contributed to morpho-sedimentary
modifi cations of the estuary but also changed the
perception of the actors as regards the vulnerability of the Seine estuary and the need to promote a
global plan for its management (Hamm et al.
2001 ; Revue Travaux 2006 ).
The construction of Port 2000 was marked by
the importance of the public debate (the fi rst of
its type in France), which can be considered as
giving an opportunity to introduce a global environmental discussion on the whole estuary from the
Poses weir to the sea. This project also led to the
setting up of the council of the Estuary, whose aim
was to develop a basis for an improved vision of the
sustainable development of this estuarine territory
(Lozachmeur and Dauvin 2008 ). The monitoring
committee provided a venue for this debate.
The Seine estuary nature reserve was initially
created on 31 December 1997 covering a territory of 3,800 ha. However, at the request of the
European Commission, this was extended by the
Decree No 2004-1187 of 9 November 2004 to an
overall surface area of 8,528 ha.
J.-C. Dauvin