Our group of SUP3 is working on the European Union directives affecting fishing quotas in the port of La Turballe in the Loire Atlantique.

La Turballe is the fourth largest fishing port in France and was one of the most affected by the Erica Oil slick in 1999. The mayor of La Turballe was grateful to the French Government for having recognized the problems created and the aid given to the fishermen affected because of the oil slick.

But the money will never compensate all the work the volunteers have been doing for months against the pollution on the coast. The ecological damage was for its part difficult to quantify: hundreds of birds got injured, and protected species of plants were damaged. In such a situation, the allocated sums provided by the government is a great help but it may not be enough to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Indeed, people have to be conscious that they have responsibilities towards the environment.

And that's why some huge amounts of money cannot completely replace preventive measures.

References:World Business Council for sustainable development

Submitted by Nathalie DEGUEN, SUP3, ISEG Nantes.