ECO-ACTIONS FOR BOATERS
Today we are faced with the ecological problems of our world and our actions are more important than ever to respect our planet.
The LONGITUDE 181 association has created an International charter for eco responsible yachtsmen in order to raise awareness and unite for the practice of boating and sailing that is the most respectful of the environment.
This charter is a guide. It is not a sum of constraints.
It is based on respect for the inhabitants of the coast, the marine environment, other boaters, and oneself.
Its purpose is to encourage everyone to think about their practices and to experience navigation in optimal
conditions for the preservation of fragile coastlines and the marine environment, which are increasingly damaged
by human activity every day.
Water consumption
- Do not leave the tap open continuously when cleaning equipment
- Install a flow restrictor
- Be alert to leaks by replacing defective equipment
- When possible, invest in a watermaker
Black waters
- Use the port toilets when the boat is docked
- Install a black water recovery or treatment system (electrolysis, electroscan)
- Use the port pumping system to drain the recovery tank.
- If this is impossible, any discharge of gray water, black water, bilge water is prohibited in the ports and in the 3 nautical mile zone.
Gray water
- Use the port equipment (showers, washbasins and sinks)
If this is impossible, any discharge of gray water, black water, bilge water is prohibited in the ports and in the 3 nautical mile zone. - Use plant-based or eco-labeled products
- Limit your consumption of cleaning products by being vigilant at the prescribed doses
- Observe animals without touching, disturbing or feeding them
- Be vigilant on the positioning of the boat in relation to the animal, as well as on its speed
To approach cetaceans once they have been detected, certain imperative rules must be observed so as not to transform the approach into a chase.
This step often conditions the rest of the events!
- Rule n°1: you must always head towards a point next to the group rather than heading straight for the cetaceans.
- Rule n°2: it is preferable to have your engine running; even if it is not engaged.
- Rule n°3: once you have reached about 300 meters from the cetaceans (distance at which the boat was probably detected), you will adopt a course in slow and constant approach, only 1 to 2 knots of relative speed.
- Rule n°4: we take advantage of the approach to identify the species, the number, the behavior.
- Rule n°5: you must not approach within 100 meters of cetaceans (unless the dolphins themselves come to the bow).
- Sharing what you see at sea with a participatory science tool will help the scientific community complete their analyzes to learn more about the presence of species (seasonality), their location (distribution) and thus obtain a better understanding of the use of their habitat.
Construction and end of life of a boat
- When manufacturing or buying a new boat, favor materials that are less harmful to the environment
- At the end of the boat’s life, be responsible with regard to the steps to be taken and promote the deconstruction and recycling of components
Fairing
- Carry out fairing on technical areas designed for the recovery and treatment of runoff water.
- Toxic waste (residue from sanding, brushes, empty pots, rags, etc.) must be brought back to the Clean Point at the port for treatment.
- Avoid periods of high winds to careen
- When possible, put your boat in dry ports
- Sailing, this avoids too much attachment of organisms to the hull
Anchoring
- Choose an anchorage area, preferring sandy areas (identifiable by their light color), especially avoiding Posidonia.
- Use a seabed mapping application.
- Raise the anchor directly above the boat. The way to raise the anchor is important, it must always be raised directly above the boat so as not to plow the bottom and to gain in efficiency. The best is to use a rope. This system is also useful when there are many boats (it avoids tangling the anchors).
- Use organized mooring areas that are equipped with fixed buoys
Waste
BEFORE GOING TO SEA
- Reduce – Reuse – Recycle
- Avoid over-packaged products
- Remove all packaging before going to sea
- Promote sustainable alternatives and banish disposable and plastic
ON THE BOAT
- Carry out simple selective sorting on board (separating recyclables from household waste)
- Take the trash ashore
- Be careful of waste that can be blown away by the wind
- Use an ashtray or pocket ashtray for smokers
BACK TO PORT
- Deposit the sorted waste in the appropriate bins, at the clean point or in the sorting bins of the community
ScubaDiving
- Master your buoyancy and your equipment so as not to hit a species or a habitat
- Respect marine life and observe animals without touching, disturbing or feeding them
- Maintain your equipment without wasting too much water
- Apply eco-responsible diving
Recreational Fishing
- Comply with regulations on minimum catch size, fishing periods and authorized quantity
- Limit fishing to personal consumption
Hydrocarbons
- Be vigilant when filling the tank to avoid loss of hydrocarbons
- If you use a container, use suitable equipment for the transfer (funnel, manual pump)
- If there are losses (tank filling or bilge water), use hydrophobic absorbent sheets, then put them in the appropriate bins
- Use ecological lubricants (of vegetable origin and biodegradable) which have greater degradability
- Have your engine serviced and checked regularly by a professional
- Favor less polluting engines (4-stroke engine, electric motor)