Arnaud Abadie, a multi-talented enthusiast.

Arnaud Abadie is passionate about the marine environment with many skills: graduate of higher studies in oceanology at the Center d'Océanologie de Marseille, graduate of a doctorate in science from the University of Liège and the University of Corsica, professional diver class II mention B specializing in scientific diving, underwater photographer in apnea and scuba. His land and underwater photos are used in particular by many types of media (websites, magazines, pubs.

In addition to these many activities, Arnaud Abadie has been running a blog dedicated to science and underwater photography since 2019: Sea (e) scape

Hello Mr. Abadie,

First of all, thank you for taking some of your time to answer our questions and share your passion for the oceans with us. We will discuss together the beauty of the seabed but also their fragility, the rich lessons they can bring us but also the terrible threats weighing on them. You are, without a doubt, a convinced ecologist in love with nature to the point of studying and photographing it, which naturally leads me to my first question on your journey:

 

• License, master then doctorate, where did such a passion for the oceans come from?

Being born and raised in the Ardennes, I did not have the opportunity to regularly rub shoulders with the sea before I was 18 years old. And yet, from the age of 5, I knew I wanted to be an oceanologist. Like many people of my generation (25-35 years old), it was Commander Cousteau's reports that aroused in me a strong passion for the marine environment as well as my professional vocation. It was only when I started my university studies in Marseille that I was able to satisfy my passion and start diving to observe for myself what I saw in television reports since childhood.

• In 2019, you are creating Sea (e) scape, can you explain to us what this site consists of?

Sea (e) scape is a popular marine science blog. The goal is to address all disciplines related to the marine environment and terrestrial aquatic spaces (biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, history of science, conservation, etc.). I made the choice to take against the current trend of short content by offering long and detailed articles written by specialists in the marine environment. A webzine with blog articles is also published regularly. It includes a supplement of illustrations as well as an unpublished portfolio. Finally, for educational purposes, I also offer three-dimensional reconstructions of the seabed.

I believe that this knowledge sharing should be accessible to everyone. This is why the entire site is completely free and without advertising. In addition, the authors (of which I am a part) write the articles on a voluntary basis and I would like to salute their commitment because writing such a publication takes a tremendous amount of time.

• At the same time, you are a research engineer at Seaviews. Can you tell us more?

Seaviews is a design office based in La Ciotat (Bouches-du-Rhône) and specializing in underwater cartography. My work as a research engineer consists of carrying out projects related to the study of marine ecosystems in order to provide spatial data to managers of coastal marine environments (marine reserves, local communities, government agencies). We are also developing state-of-the-art techniques within Seaviews to map coastal seabed with ever more precision.

• What do all these years of study and observation tell you about the state of the oceans today? What conclusion do you make?

I am more a specialist in the Mediterranean coastal environment so I am going to talk about what I know well. To be honest, the finding depends on the observation scale.

Let's start with the local level. The actions undertaken by the managers of marine reserves are bearing fruit in their area of influence. For example, marine biodiversity seems richer to me today in the Calanques National Park than when I was diving in Marseille and La Ciotat 15 years earlier during my studies. The work of reconciling use conflicts within these protected areas is very complex and yet some managers manage to quickly put in place effective measures to protect marine biodiversity. Likewise, the oceans still have great discoveries in store for us and even in the Mediterranean it is possible to discover new species or unprotected areas with little human impact.

Conversely, I note that little effort is being made to slow down urban development with the pretext of economic development at all costs. Of course, laws exist to regulate construction in coastal areas, but the environmental aspect is often only an embarrassing box to tick for construction companies. At present we continue to recharge artificial beaches and expand ports, knowing full well that these projects inevitably have an impact on the marine environment. The tourist reception capacity of the Mediterranean coast is already saturated but we continue to want to welcome ever greater numbers of people. It is clear that the environment can only be impacted by this race for the number of tourists.

On a more global scale for me the observation is clear: there is little hope of an improvement in the situation of the oceans. Between overfishing, pollution (plastics, hydrocarbons), the rising water level which accelerates, the warming of the water temperature which could among other things lead in a few decades to the disappearance of corals, the urban development galloping on the coast, the deforestation of the mangroves, the future exploitation of the mineral resources of the abyss ... the end of the century (see half a century) will not be very happy. Especially when we face the non-existent political will to turn the tide and the fact that certain processes can no longer be stopped and will accelerate in the decades to come.

• Study, understand, explain, show. Here is a beautiful ecological approach. At a time when appropriating the “ecologist” label is very well seen and useful, what is your definition of ecology?

For me, ecology is the scientific discipline which is interested in the interactions between species and their environment. The specialists in this theme are not, moreover, named “ecologists” but “ecologists”. The role of the ecologist is also to study in all objectivity the influence of anthropogenic activities (of human origin) on ecosystems.

Faced with this scientific definition of ecology there is the political movement of the same name which in my opinion is only a voting argument for people in search of a little power. The term ecology is used so much these days that it no longer has any meaning. It is clear that an "ecological label" is affixed almost everywhere and very often as a selling point. I also understand the people sickened by this excessive use who can no longer disentangle the marketing or political argument from the real ecological problems. The same goes for the term "environment" which does not mean much anymore. It then becomes difficult to interest the public in the real challenges linked to global changes.

• Everyone marvels at the beauty of the oceans but ultimately few realize the state they are in and the way we treat them, how do you explain that? It cannot be a question of information since it is abundant nowadays and that everyone has access to it. So what is it ?

First of all, I would say that it is always paramount to marvel at the beauty of the marine world. This is the first step leading to a commitment for its protection. And there are still plenty of reasons to marvel at the discoveries and images brought back from the seabed by scientists, explorers, photographers and videographers.

To answer your question, I think it is difficult to be aware of the protection of an environment that you do not come across on a daily basis. We always feel more concerned by the issues of our place of life.

Another element of the answer is that the information that arrives to us via our smartphones is filtered and corresponds only to the subjects that we most often seek on the internet. Learning about subjects outside of this sphere of intellectual comfort then requires effort. In short, if you are not interested in the marine world regularly you will never gain access to the appropriate knowledge.

• We have written many articles on seabed pollution. Some more frightening than others. I am thinking in particular of the Mediterranean, which has become a veritable plastic trash can. Do you agree with the urgency of the situation described by all observers, scientists and environmental NGOs, or is that a bit of an exaggeration?

I generally agree with the conclusions of these studies. I dive every week in La Ciotat (where I live) and plastic waste, cigarette ends, cans, and other human dirt are still visible on the seabed. Then, even if this impact must be documented regularly, the observation in itself is not sufficient. Now that this information has been rehashed and incorporated by the public, it is time to take concrete action. We must act at the source, reduce our waste and above all make people aware of the fact that waste thrown anywhere in the world can potentially end up in the oceans via runoff, rivers and streams. Unfortunately, generally speaking, environmental emergencies are not exaggerated and when the alarm bells are sounded it is often already too late to avoid damage.

• What areas of progress do you think should be developed to improve the situation? Is it up to the public authorities to legislate much more severely? What do you think ?

The problem is complex and no single, quick solution exists. We must immediately change our lifestyles by consuming less and better, it is obvious. I can also continue to push open doors by talking about awareness and further environmental education because we always defend with more fervor what we know.

Honestly, I do not think that the great environmental shift and the profound changes in our society will come from the public authorities or from any political party. On the other hand, the legal framework remains essential to regulate or even prohibit the most polluting and most destructive activities of natural environments. France is far from perfect in this area and we still have enormous room for improvement. However, our legislation is rich in measures to protect the environment (and increasingly the marine environment). Their application unfortunately remains often difficult and conflictual.

• I am addressing myself now more to the scientist than to the observer. Plastic pollution almost in all the oceans of the world, pollution with hydrocarbons and chemicals - until recently in Yemen and off Sri Lanka - can marine fauna and flora and do they know how to fight and resist against these repeated assaults? We often hear that life always finds a way, do you think that living marine organisms will develop capacities to fight? Can they, in your opinion, adapt or are they incapable of doing so and will simply disappear?

This is a very complex question and the answer varies greatly from one situation to another. It is clear that marine species (like all living organisms) have a certain capacity to adapt to changes, whether of natural or human origin. The key factor in this adaptation is the time which will vary from one species to another and from one type of change to another. For example, most species (including dinosaurs) have not withstood the sudden changes caused by the impact of a meteorite in Yucatán 66 million years ago. This is the problem with changes induced by human activities: they are too rapid (a few years or decades) to allow organisms to adapt.

To answer the question, marine life is “equipped” to respond to changes in their living environment, but the speed and frequency of these changes due to our activities does not give them time to adapt. The development of new abilities to "fight" against these changes takes even longer and generally increases with the size of living things. So on our human timescale most species will not have changed enough to survive.

The disappearance of species due to the impact of human activities on the natural environment is nothing new in the history of mankind. However, this rate has accelerated sharply over the last few centuries. It is enough to consult the red list of the IUCN (the endangered or extinct species) to realize it. So to answer the last part of the question, some of the species have already disappeared and a large number of them will also disappear in the decades to come through our fault.

• Let's go a little further in the disaster scenario, which according to the neophyte that I am, is perhaps not so far from what is already happening. If human activity puts an end to millions of years of evolution of a large part of marine biodiversity, what will be the consequences for the Earth and its inhabitants?

We are quite capable of destroying much of the Earth's biodiversity (and ourselves as well). Besides, we are doing it methodically. It's a shame for us but on the scale of our planet it is just one more mass extinction of biodiversity (the sixth). If the history of the human species ceases on Earth - because we moved to another planet or self-destruct - the evolutionary process of the remaining species will continue without us and a further increase in the number of species will have held until the next extinction and so on. It is always interesting to get out of our anthropocentric view of time from time to time, which makes us forget that the first species appeared almost 4 billion years ago on Earth.

• Your observation of marine environments is an opportunity to make us discover the splendours of nature, and I advise each of our readers to look at your photos which are magnificent, but it is unfortunately also the opportunity to realize the evil that we their done. On a human level, I imagine it affects you a lot. How do you go about supporting it? Do you sometimes go through periods of discouragement? Do you take refuge behind coldness and scientific rigor?

It is always very difficult to have a front row seat when you are witnessing the destruction of the marine environment. Sometimes it takes place slowly over the long term and you realize that something is gone forever when you could still observe it a few years ago. This is the case, for example, of the large nacres in the Mediterranean, whose parasite has decimated populations throughout the basin in a few years. We are then overcome by a feeling of disappointment and failure even if it is not the role of scientists to act in terms of environmental protection. This is the role of government and non-government organizations whose mission is to protect species and natural environments.

I think that the term coldness is absolutely not appropriate when it comes to talking about the scientific work to which we often dedicate our whole life. Scientists are people like any other and it is always heartbreaking when you try to send a warning message to the public or government for years and it is never taken seriously. I am thinking among others of the IPCC and their reports which despite their seriousness and gravity do not lead to any profound change in our lifestyles and in international environmental governance (which is non-existent). On the other hand, the most total objectivity is essential to scientifically study a subject by reducing as much as possible the bias linked to the observation. Otherwise, the conclusions of the work will be biased.

• How do you see the years to come, with pessimism or optimism?

Given the acceleration of climate change and the runaway of extreme phenomena that accompany it, as well as the erosion of biodiversity which continues at a good pace, it is difficult to be optimistic. I think we will not be able to reverse the process that we have set in motion. With an immediate and radical change in our way of producing, consuming and exploiting the planet's resources, we might be able to slow down the phenomenon. But given the overall weak will to make such changes I don't think such a thing will happen.

• To tackle things a little more cheerful, do you have an ocean prefer? What is the place that you have found the most diverse and that has given rise to your best photos.

Without hesitation the Mediterranean. Even though I have been diving there regularly for more than 15 years, I am still blown away by the biodiversity that we meet there and the diversity of the coastal environments. In recent years, several scientific expeditions (offshore or in depth) have shown that we ultimately know very little about this sea, which has nevertheless been the most traveled by humans for thousands of years. There are still many discoveries to be made in this little piece of ocean.

Otherwise my favorite subject of photography is the sharks that I try to go observe all over the world as soon as I have a little break in my work. However, I must admit that taking the plane to go to distant places bothers me more and more ...

• What are your subjects of study now? What are your projects ?

Among the research projects in which I participate in Seaviews (the design office in which I am a research engineer) I would retain our work on the acoustic mapping of marine habitats and fish accumulations in the water column . This work has been carried out for more than five years and should in a few years make it possible to assess the ecological state of Mediterranean marine ecosystems.

A second research project is close to my heart because it concerns the subject of my doctorate carried out in Corsica several years ago: the study of the impact of anchoring in seagrass beds of Posidonia. The aim here is to assess the effectiveness of management measures in areas subject to intensive anchoring, using in particular underwater photogrammetry (the fact of combining thousands of photographs to obtain high-resolution cartography of the seabed) .

Finally, I continue to develop popular science through the Sea (e) scape blog. In particular, I would like to unite as many authors as possible in order to vary the themes addressed and participate more frequently in environmental awareness projects. The goal: to inform as many people as possible about environmental issues in the marine environment!

I have come to the end of our interview, Mr. Abadie. Maybe you want to add something?

It only remains for me to thank you for your time and for giving our readers the opportunity to benefit from your experience and knowledge. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the Sea (e) scape link : www.seaescape.fr. It is not only very beautiful but it is also a mine of information! I hope that we will have been able to make people want to know more and understand the fragility of these ecosystems.

Thanks again.

Photograph captions

• ambiance_recif_corallien: A preserved coral landscape in the Cousteau reserve in Guadeloupe. Photo: Arnaud Abadie.
• ancre_posidonie: anchoring in Posidonia meadows and one of the current management themes in the Mediterranean. Photo: Arnaud Abadie.
• arnaud_abadie: Selfie in the seabed of Martinique. Photo: Arnaud Abadie.
• gorgone_jaune_eunicella_cavolini: biodiversity in the Mediterranean is incredibly rich and the underwater landscapes are very colorful. Photo: Arnaud Abadie.
• portrait: Photo: Lovina Fullgrabe.
• shark_borde: A group of sharks bordered in the Aliwal Shoal marine reserve in South Africa. Photo: Arnaud Abadie.