Impact of coastal development on the infralittoral zone along the southeastern Mediterranean shore of continental France

Numerous waterfront developments built on the sea along the southeastern French Mediterranean coast have resulted in large-scale destruction to the infralittoral zone. A total of 185 development projects, extending over 106 km have been built along the 656 km of rocky shores of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. 30.57 km 2 have been covered by ports, dikes, land fills and artificial beaches. Because the coast of this region has a very narrow continental shelf (only 314.72 km 2 between 0 and −20m), every construction on the sea significantly reduces the area where the benthic life is richest. Today a total of 9.7% of the shallow water zone between 0 and −20m and 14.5% between 0 and −10 m have been irreversibly destroyed, covered by waterfront development.