Tag Archives: marineconservation

Responsible Boaters: Mediterranean Destinations that Champion Sustainability

The Mediterranean remains one of our favorite boating destinations. However, this cruising area is suffering as the world faces mounting pressures from over-tourism and environmental impacts. With the summer season fast approaching, boaters can enjoy more sustainable yachting adventures across the Mediterranean. 

Boatbookings Prioritizing Sustainability 

At Boatbookings, we always advocate for more responsible boating. Firstly, we offer a range of greener crewed catamarans, which have less impact on our seas. When organizing a boat charter in the Mediterranean, we focus on facilitating more sustainable practices onboard through your preference sheet, such as requesting local and seasonal produce and reducing the amount of single-use plastics. 

The Mediterranean is home to some of the world’s best Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), teeming with vibrant marine life that we love to snorkel and dive. While boating in these areas, there are a range of procedures you can follow to not disrupt the ecosystems. Meanwhile, on land, when you are visiting these destinations, we encourage engaging with the local communities when purchasing and getting involved in responsible activities. 

We have put together a list of the top 5 Mediterranean destinations that champion sustianability: 

1. French Riviera 

The French Riviera is a premier cruising destination, and for good reason. From St Tropez to Monaco, the region is full of glamourous destinations, idyllic bays, and prestigious events. However, due to its popularity, there has been some negative impact of yachting. Today, the anchoring of yachts along the French Riviera is strictly regulated to protect the Posidonia seagrass. The French maritime authorities PREMAR have implemented increased anchoring rules in these areas to protect the ecosystem. 

In addition to anchoring regulations, all of the ports along the French Riviera have implemented stringent policies to keep the marina waters clean. You can no longer wash boat oils, wastewaters, and other pollutants into the sea. As an example, Cannes has implemented the following requirements on all ships in the Cannes waters:

  • The use of fuel with 0.1% sulfur content
  • A ban on incinerating waste on board upon entering the compulsory ‘piloting area’
  • The establishment of a tendering process that takes into account the environment
  • A ban on discharging wastewater, even treated wastewater, and water from fume washing systems in the piloting and mooring areas;
  • The obligation to bypass the ‘Posidonia meadows’ during maneuvers and anchoring;
  • the promotion of sustainability initiatives among operators carrying cruise passengers.

2. The Ionian Islands

For island-hopping itineraries, Greece is a perfect destination. The Ionian Islands lie off the country’s west coast in the Ionian Sea. An initiative aimed at promoting sustainable tourism and environment conservation throughout the islands is the Ionian Environment Foundation. Focussing on this area, the program distributes sustainable sailing packs showcasing how boaters can avoid negative impacts when sailing these islands. 

3. Mallorca

The Save the Med Foundation, based in Mallorca, enables the Balearic Sea to recover its rich biodiversity. Through marine conservation, research, educational outreach, and advocating for new MPAs, this organization showcases these islands as a hub for innovative initiatives to inspire other regions. One particular priority for Save the Med is tackling plastic pollution. 

4. Sicily 

A prominent issue within marine conservation is the problem of discarded fishing nets. The Italian island of Sicily is working to combat this while protecting and preserving the island’s nature through the Sicily Environment Fund. One of its projects is the ‘Ghost Net Recovery’ initiative in Ustica, which collects and recycles discarded fishing nets. 

5. Croatia

Croatia is another famous island-hopping sailing destination, especially for our crewed charter catamarans. The Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development (SUNCE) safeguards the country’s marine ecosystems. One project is the ‘Marine Litter Free Dalmation Islands Project,’ which empowers local communities to gather data on marine debris distribution and develop effective waste management systems through active engagement. 

The Mediterranean summer season is fast approaching; let’s protect and preserve these destinations, reducing our impact. If you still need to arrange this summer’s Mediterranean greener crewed charter catamarans, contact one of the Boatbookings team today.

Posted on by

Marine Conservation: 4 Organizations That Are Protecting Our Oceans

Marine conservation organizations are vital to our boating industry. Our ocean ecosystem makes up 70% of the Earth’s surface, and it is under threat. From overfishing, pollution to climate change, many dedicated groups strive to restore and protect the oceans from numerous challenges. 

At Boatbookings, we value the work that these inspiring organizations are doing to protect and preserve marine ecosystems and biodiversity; here, we shine a spotlight on some of these: 

Blue Marine Foundation 

From Greece and Italy to The Maldives and Patagonia, the Blue Marine Foundation has a whole host of projects around the world. They work to secure protected areas, develop models for sustainable fishing, restore marine habitats, and highlight unsustainable fishing to connect people and communities. The Blue Marine Yacht Club works to unite the yachting community in protecting the oceans through donations, support, and expertise. Since its launch in 2012, shipyards like Feadship, Lurssen, and Benetti have been involved.

Sea Shepherd 

Renowned for its direct action campaigns, Sea Shepherd defends various issues surrounding preserving marine wildlife. The marine conservation organization has a fleet of boats whose sole purpose is to protect the oceans in line with conservation law against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Sea Shepherd now has an international fleet with ten ships and several smaller boats. They are on the front line, and we admire the hands-on approach. 

4 Ocean 

One issue that is still plaguing our oceans is that of plastic pollution. The average person uses 9 pounds of single-use plastic every month, and a lot is ending up in our waterways. The ocean cleanup organization 4Ocean is a certified B corp. It is using the power of business to fund a global cleanup operation to recover millions of pounds of plastic from our oceans. Founded by two surfers after their trip to Bali, they recognized the issue and wanted to make a difference; they sell bracelets made from recovered plastic and run a plastic offsetting program. 

Coral Reef Alliance

Dedicated to coral reef conservation, this environmental non-profit is based in California. It works to reduce the threats to reef damage, ensuring that they can continue to adapt to climate change. With problems such as pollution, sedimentation, overfishing, and sustainable tourism, coral reefs are in danger. The Coral Reef Alliance combines advanced science with community engagement, particularly scuba divers, to help protect and preserve. The projects are mainly located in Hawaii and the Western Caribbean; however, they raise awareness on a global level. 

How Can You Support?

Supporting these and other marine conservation organizations doesn’t require a science degree. You can get involved in so many different ways. Firstly donations are vital and help fund research and on-the-ground initiatives. If it is time you have, organizations are always looking for volunteers, whether a beach clean-ups or community-led projects. You can also spread awareness to educate others; why not send and share this blog to your network and help make a difference? 

Above everything, you must be helping become part of the solution, not the problem, and adopt greener practices in everything you do, including boating. Firstly, reducing your carbon footprint is critical; to do this, you need to calculate it. For all our charters, you can use our carbon offset calculator.

Contact our team today to find out about our greener crewed charter catamarans for you to enjoy the ocean more responsibly. 

Posted on by