Blaire's second oral report is just a bit more substantial. She has been
looking into the environmental hazards that confront this part of the world.
Much of her information comes from an interview with Madame Sylvia Levyne who
works with the Ecole de Pêche des Sables (the fishing school of Les Sables).
This school trains the future sailors and fisherpersons that will sail out on
the waters here. That's quite important to Blaire's project since
the future of fishing depends so heavily on the future of the environment.
One fact that Blaire uncovers is that 10 years ago Les Sables was the number 3
fishing port of France. Today it is number 18, and dropping...
Blaire also learns that the beach here is loosing 3/4 of an inch of sand per
year (the sand is eroding and the ocean is rising). Given the slope of
the coast, that means that in 10 years there will be no sand in the Sands of
Olonne!!! Buildings, ports, parking lots, dikes, jetties, all have
radically altered the face of the land here. In addition, farm run-off,
fishing wastes, oil and fuel discharges from boats add to a dangerous mix.
Blaire also notes that she had hoped to speak to an environmental lawyer about
some of these questions. It turns out that there are only two
such creatures in all of Vendée -- and neither is based near Les Sables.
That may be too bad for more than just a few of us fishes...