Fish nurseries “made in Golfe-Juan”

A shared initiative of Alexandra Cornardeau, Jacques Moro and the port  

Jacques Moro very recently made four habitats from metal structures, fishing nets, hemp ropes and branches. “I am 80 years old: my paternal grandfather, whom I never met, was already telling my father that there were no more fish in our seas,” he explains. “Former fisherman, I was very perceptive and the truth is… there aren’t many left. However, there are things we can do to improve this situation and I know empirically that fish need nests. I had already created nurseries independently about one or two years ago and then I was contacted by Alexandra Cornardeau, who is in charge of the ports and beaches: she asked me to do it again! ”

Nurseries designed from recycled materials

Jacques Moro’s inspiration? “TV programmes about Japanese fishing, documents about the fish aggregating device (FAD), etc.” Aim: To make the most efficient nurseries possible! “I attached ropes around a metal ring, I made a seaman out of recycled flippers covered with nets, and then I also made a nursery out of storm debris which often ends up in the sea, bits of wood, etc.” There are now four established nurseries – each designed with different materials – in order to see, in the long run, which works better or worse so we can improve them.

Protection of biodiversity at the centre of the project

In order to support the project, we made a call to a designer in Vallauris Golfe-Juan: Catherine Ferrari. “The protection of biodiversity is a cause close to my heart. That is why I agreed to create these ceramic fish nurseries. I found the idea so interesting that I accepted it straight away,” explains the designer. The last three nurseries were made by her, this time in ceramic (two of which were made from models designed by the project leader).

Seven fish nurseries are set up at the Vieux-Port entrance, on the southern seawall

After a discussion with port teams, a location has been reserved to merge the seven nurseries. An exceptional action, which is also part of an educational approach and which will be presented during the “École au port” days (school at the port) organised by the CCI, in order to raise children’s awareness of the environment and the protection of biodiversity.