Over the past few years, seaside leisure activities have become increasingly popular, creating a major challenge for the preservation of natural coastal environments. Faced with this observation, an innovative response is emerging: C-monspot.fr. This website, launched in 2016, is positioned as an essential tool for raising awareness and educating nature sports enthusiasts about the biodiversity of protected natural marine sites, from Normandy to the Pays de la Loire, via Brittany.
Marine Protected Areas, guardians of biodiversity
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are delimited areas at sea, created to guarantee the long-term protection of nature. The French Environment Code currently lists 15 distinct types, each helping to reconcile environmental protection with the sustainable development of human activities. Their management often relies on inclusive governance, involving users, elected representatives and experts, to preserve these precious marine ecosystems.
France, in partnership with other European countries, is actively involved in protecting these species through the coherent Natura 2000 network. This network aims to ensure the conservation and restoration of certain habitats and species, while maintaining their good conservation status. Marine mammals such as seals and bottlenose dolphins, as well as numerous species of seabirds, benefit from this protection.
A digital tool for a changing natural world
The C-monspot.fr initiative was the brainchild of Natura 2000 project manager Nicolas Daviau, who, while working in Goulven Bay - a popular area for kite-surfing, sand yachting and hiking, as well as a hotspot for wild birds - realized that there was a crucial lack of environmental information for sports enthusiasts visiting these coastal areas.
Together with a team of natural area managers and Nicolas Le Corre, a teacher-researcher at the Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, he set out to fill this gap. The objective is clear: to integrate the ecological dimension into seaside sporting activities. Nature is in perpetual motion, and bird nesting sites can vary from one year to the next. It is therefore essential to have up-to-date information.
Thanks to close collaboration with the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), C-monspot.fr was born. The platform offers interactive mapping of species present on sites, according to season, and provides detailed fact sheets for each species. This information enables users to better recognize habitats and critical periods for local fauna, such as bird nesting or seal pupping.
New information to protect our coasts
Since its launch, C-monspot.fr has aroused growing interest among water sports and hiking enthusiasts. Indeed, more than 48,000 connections were recorded between 2016 and 2023, testifying to a growing awareness of the importance of preserving marine biodiversity. Users particularly praise the access to previously unpublished information, such as the mapping of bird migration paths, and practical recommendations for minimizing disturbance.
Initially focused on Brittany, C-monspot.fr has expanded to include the Normandy and Pays de la Loire regions, responding to increased user demand. This expansion has also enabled the site to become an essential resource for local administrations and educational institutions such as the École Nationale des Sports Nautiques. The Direction Départementale des Territoires et de la Mer (DDTM) now uses the site as a reference tool for the sustainable management of coastal areas.
Understand the notion of species disturbance and adapt your practice
Recreational activities by the sea are growing exponentially, resulting in increasingly disruptive interaction with the coastal environment. This phenomenon, amplified by the frequency and diversity of activities, takes on a critical dimension when it disrupts sensitive periods such as bird breeding and seal pupping, as well as vulnerable phases such as the moulting or resting periods of marine species. It is therefore crucial to adopt environmentally-friendly practices adapted to each of our activities to preserve the fragile biodiversity of our coasts.
On the C-monspot.fr platform, everyone is invited to take part in improving knowledge of marine species. All you have to do is report your observations to the organizations studying them.
On the beach, a number of initiatives enable citizens to actively contribute to the preservation of biodiversity:
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BioLit is a network of citizen observers on the coast, offering participatory monitoring and species identification programs. Topics covered include algae, plants, shellfish, invasive species and waste management.
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Faune-Bretagne publishes studies and atlases of regional biodiversity based on participatory observations. Enthusiasts will find identification sheets and a wealth of information on insects, birds, amphibians, odonates and mammals.
On the water, several platforms encourage observations and monitoring:
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Obsenmer collects one-off observations and offers an attentive watch, inviting everyone to share their observations via a quick and simple form. Topics covered include marine mammals, rays, sharks, macroplankton, pelagic fish and marine litter.
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APECS monitors shark sightings along the Brittany coast and develops programs based on strandings of ray egg capsules. Immediate sightings can sometimes trigger the deployment of ARGOS beacons.
Underwater, for environmentally conscious divers:
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DORIS makes it easy to identify underwater species and report observations made during dives.
At a time when preserving the environment is becoming a global priority, initiatives like C-monspot.fr illustrate how technology can support the harmonious cohabitation of man and nature. Thanks to regular updates based on scientific monitoring, the site continues to evolve in response to user needs and current environmental challenges.
