Culture, Ecology, Economy – 8 chapters
Until 2011, Réunion Island was a small marine paradise. Since then, this French department is locked into a dramatic nightmare: sharks are killing surfers and swimmers along the beaches of the West Coast. This unprecedented situation sparked tensions and controversy between nature conservationists, scientists, surfers, fishermen and beach goers. OCEAN71 investigated on an island in a constant state of aquatic emergency.
Every summer, the oysters’ consumption in Arcachon bay is threatened by the presence of a micro-seaweed, revealed by biological and chemical tests. The oyster farmers accuse theses analysis of not being entirely accurate. The real reason would be a much more dangerous pollution situation, mostly linked to human activities.
Before the black gold made some families of the Arabian peninsula immensely wealthy, nomades settled down along the southern side of the Persian Gulf and risked their lives by fishing the earliest source of wealth in the region : pearls. Today, the practice has disappeared, but the Emirates still possess one of the most fabulous pearl’s treasure in the world. Here is an investigation on a well kept secret.
