Mandate and actions of Ifremer in the field of marine materials

On its creation in 1967, the tasks of the CNEXO comes under 5 topics including one entitled  “Mineral and fossils resources” providing a mandate for “… studies and research for the exploitation of resources contained in their mass, their ground and their substratum”.

The “Marine sands and gravels” program was initiated in 1969. The aim was to create an inventory of all material resources on the French continental shelf. Initially metropolitan, it extended to the French Indies in 1985.

The program was pursued by Ifremer, which was created in 1984, with the merger of the CNEXO and the ISTPM (decree 84-428 of June 5, 1984).

The national inventory of marine aggregates was conducted and concluded, from 1969 to 1981, under state funding. It was followed, due to the joint initiative of Ifremer and local authorities, by a regional inventory: Nord Pas de Calais (1984-1986, siliceous aggregates), Brittany (1987-1990, marl), Guadeloupe (1985-1992, siliceous aggregates) and Martinique (in progress).

The recognized resources of Metropolitan France, were evaluated to 33 billion m3 of which 600 million are regarded as exploitable. Those fields favorable for exploitation were then identified.

In relation to this competence, Ifremer is also the scientific and technical advisor for state decision-makers (ministries, French “départements”, decentralized departments) to provide opinions on requests for license exploitation and/or exploration of marine materials (decree 71-360 of May 6, 1971, decree 85-448 of April 23, 1985, decree 95-427 of April 19, 1995, decree 95-696 of May 9, 1995, decree 98-970 of October 26, 1998). Ifremer is also associated with  reflections on the revision of reglementary texts.

As a scientific organization, Ifremer is partner to international working groups on the subject of “the extraction of aggregates”, such as that of the CIEM entitled “Effects of the extraction of marine sediments on the marine ecosystem” and the EMSAGG (European Marine Sand and Gravel Group), and also involved in European programs (Interreg).

Within the frame of its multidisciplinary activities, for example in geology-sedimentology, modelisation, marine biology, follow-up of fishing activities, Ifremer is increasingly requested to act as a national organization ready to launch research programs and to develop expertise on the multiple effects of material extraction on the habitat (nature of the seafloor, associated fauna and flora).

Consequently, in 2001, Ifremer created a cell of expertise intended to organize this activity whilst ensuring relations with public decision-makers, local authorities, various users of the sea (fishermen, extractors, …) and the society in general. This relational component will be essential in the future since the very probable development of marine extractions will raise serious questions of territorial competition between sea users and also of the real impact on the biological functionality of the seafloor already in danger.

The Cap de la Chèvre (Finistère)
© Coppillet – IUEM (Plouzané)