The development of projects at sea often gives rise to opposition in principle, which can be linked to a lack of knowledge about these activities.
The aim is therefore to raise awareness of maritime activities and their usefulness (in terms of responding to society’s needs) and to understand the expectations of the various stakeholders (the population, local residents, associations, elected representatives and local authorities, government departments). This work will increase the stakeholders’ mutual understanding and enrich the projects of maritime activities in terms of responding to the different expectations as far as possible.
The SAMIC project (Apports des Sciences sociales et participatives dans la compréhension des Activités Maritimes et leurs Impacts Cumulés – Contribution of Social and Participatory Sciences to the Understanding of Maritime Activities and their Cumulative Impacts) initially carried out a societal analysis in order to determine the positions and strategies of the various stakeholders of maritime activities. In this context, the results of the public debate ‘la mer en débat’ (the sea under debate) on the Eastern Channel – North Sea coast were also analysed. Secondly, participatory science workshops (‘Living Lab’) were organised using an ‘action research’ methodology to bring together heterogeneous stakeholders (the population, local residents, businesses, local authorities), in order to develop a shared vision of human activities at sea and to co-construct consensual solutions (technical solutions, usage scenarios, modes of governance). The project was funded by the industrial members of the SIG ECUME (2024-2025), with co-funding by the Fonds d’Intervention Maritime and by the Fondation de France.
