José A. Pérez Agúndez

Why, how, and how far should microbiological contamination in a coastal zone be mitigated ? An application of the systems approach to the Thau lagoon (France)

This paper describes the building of an integrated simulation tool based on a systems approach, and its contribution to local political discussion of the mitigation of microbiological contamination of the water in a coastal area. Local management schemes view water quality as a high-priority environmental objective. In practice, how far this objective is achieved depends on trade-offs between the costs of improved water treatment facilities and the acceptable impacts of water contamination. An in-the-field experiment in collaboration with local managers was carried out in the Thau lagoon on the French Mediterranean coast during the SPICOSA (Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessment) project, from 2007 through 2011. It consisted of building a modeling platform and an integrated assessment framework for simulating exploratory scenarios. The modeling platform combines a dynamic contamination model, which represents the sources of microbiological contamination, wastewater treatment facilities, and physical mechanisms of lagoon contamination, with a prospective economic model, which estimates the patterns of development of economic activities in the area through a holistic approach. Exploratory scenarios are used to assess the risk of water contamination and the efficiency of management measures, under various assumptions about the evolution of the system. The contamination simulations suggest that the work currently planned by local authorities will be inadequate for preventing increased water pollution, and that additional but fairly inexpensive management measures for maintaining the current level of water quality should be considered. The integrated assessment framework estimates the ecological and socio-economic impacts of the various pollution mitigation policies in the broader context of possible local development patterns. The results illustrate how the systems approach may aid in the design of an applicable water policy based on operational objectives and feasible technical options.

National Policy Objectives and Local Management Results: The Economic, Social, and Environmental Performances of Shellfish-Farming Institutions in the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay (France)

This article examines the discrepancies between national policy objectives for the development of shellfish-farming in France and the results of this policy at the local level. National legislation is claimed to favor a “people-oriented” policy and the sustainable use of marine coastal resources. In practice, stakeholders implement this policy under local institutional arrangements. A case study in the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay compares the economic, social, and environmental performances of both mussel and oyster industries. Local management arrangements have avoided overexploitation. Conversely, performances in terms of rent distribution, job retention, and contribution to public budgets are inconsistent with national objectives. This suggests that the existence of conflicting interests, information asymmetries, and unequal bargaining powers was not sufficiently envisaged when the national regulation framework was drafted. However, when combined with an opaque and weakly regulated system of transferable use rights, those factors are likely to influence local management processes and their socioeconomic results.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADAPTATION TO HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS: SOCIOECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR THE SHELLFISH FARMING SECTOR IN BOURGNEUF BAY (FRANCE)

The economic impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs) on the shellfish farming sector depend on their frequency, duration and intensity. Safeguarding storage and accelerated detoxification are technical solutions that could mitigate the effects of these events. This article first analyzes the economic feasibility of the technological changes that can be adopted by the shellfish farming sector in France. It then examines their associated social impacts. Finally, an application is carried out on the Bourgneuf Bay production area. The economic analysis addresses three issues related to HABs: (1) the economic performance of the shellfish farms in Bourgneuf Bay, (2) the costs of these new technologies, and (3) the economic viability of such an investment. Results suggest that only a few economically viable farms would be able to implement these technologies, yet this would not be an option for smaller, less profitable farms. Individual action within the context of a “laissez-faire” public policy, taking into account the need for technological equipment, would result in a concentration of the sector to the benefit of the largest capitalist farms, with negative effects on employment and the distribution of economic rent. Alternative ways for implementing these technological changes would require collective actions or public support.