A new twist in the tax on boaters anchored in marine protected areas. The new amendment tabled by the Corsican MP and supported by the government was unanimously adopted last night in the National Assembly. For the time being, this fee only concerns the Bouches de Bonifacio and Scandola, protected natural reserves of 80,000 hectares. Unlike the amendment passed in the Senate last January, this fee does not provide for an amount (for the time being).
The Federation of Nautical Industries expressed its views on this subject in a press release entitled "The Nautical Industries Federation It is not, in fact, a fee, but a tax, because no service to the yachtsman is provided in return. Boaters would thus be called upon to take the place of the public authorities in financing the protection of marine areas. And this, when they are already the main financiers of the Conservatoire du littoral for 37 million euros! ...] This text, very close to the Government's initial amendment, creates the conditions for a real divorce between the recreational community and environmental managers. Boaters are major players in the preservation of the marine environment. From now on, they will consider the development of marine protected areas, which they had been calling for, as a threat to their essential freedoms."
Even if, for the time being, the fee is only applied to Corsica, this system could be extended to all marine protected areas on the French coast.
The Federation of Nautical Industries reminds us that "the The yachting world finds no answer to its concerns in these new provisions. He remains firmly opposed to it and will continue to mobilize to obtain its withdrawal."
As a reminder, this fee was voted on January 20 by the Senate and was to oblige boaters to pay to anchor in marine protected areas. This tax would be collected by the managing authorities. These areas do not have a marina, but managers can accommodate boats at anchor. On 4 December last year, the Law Commission abolished this fee, which was very poorly collected in the nautical world. Institutions and boaters had mobilized to have it repealed. Finally, on February 17, the government decided to table a new amendment, the result of which was unveiled overnight..
