Green algae are invited into the campaign for regional elections in Brittany.
The Water and Rivers association is organizing an event on this theme in the morning this Saturday in Lorient.
And the activists will be able to pound the pavement by highlighting “a historic victory”.
Indeed, in a judgment rendered on Friday, the administrative court has just ordered the State, via the prefecture of Brittany, to take new regulatory measures within four months in order to fight against "green tides" which are recurring for many years in the region.
If the green algae are present in the natural state, they proliferate in the Breton bays, where they are nourished by contributions of nitrates spread by the farmers in the fields and whose surpluses are transported by the coastal rivers.
In addition to the visual annoyance, the putrefaction of these algae releases hydrogen sulphide, a harmful gas which is dangerous for animals and humans.
In 2020, 20,000 tonnes were collected in Brittany.
This year, 90% of the algae are concentrated in the bay of Saint-Brieuc.
A recent Senate report highlighted the shortcomings of the Green Algae plan implemented for 20 years in the region.
"Progress remains largely insufficient," concluded Bernard Delcros, vice-president of the Senate finance committee.
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Endowed with seven million euros per year, the fight plan has clearly not been satisfactory and strandings remain massive in a region dominated by agriculture.
"The results are not up to the stakes: the nitrate levels in Breton waters, responsible for the proliferation of algae, have certainly fallen but are still clearly higher than the objectives", insisted the centrist senator, asking for "more ambition. strong ".
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"Sustainably restore the quality of water in Brittany"
In his report Bernard Delcros called for "a third more ambitious fight plan" with better involvement of the agrifood sector with regulations adapted to "green algae berries" and better support "for farmers who do not want to change their practices".
The administrative court was in this direction and will urge the State to act quickly.
In its judgment, the court considers that "reinforcement of the actions implemented remains necessary in order to restore the quality of water in Brittany on a lasting basis" and "to prevent as much as possible the phenomenon of green tides".
The court ordered the prefect to take measures to "control nitrogen fertilization and appropriate management of agricultural land" upstream from beaches where green algae proliferate.
In addition, it also asks for the "precise definition of a mechanism for implementing binding regulatory measures" in the event of failure of the measures encouraged by the plan to combat green algae.
These measures must be taken within four months of its notification to the Minister of Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili.