Arcachon Bay Explained

Arcachon Bay
Pushpin Map:France
Pushpin Label Position:left
Coordinates:44.6833°N -11°W
Part Of:Atlantic Ocean

Arcachon Basin or alternatively Arcachon Bay (French: Bassin d'Arcachon, in French pronounced as /basɛ̃ daʁkaʃɔ̃/; Occitan (post 1500);: Laca d'Arcaishon) is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest coast of France, situated in Pays de Buch between the Côte d'Argent and the Côte des Landes, in the region of Aquitaine. The bay covers an area of 150km2 at high tide and 400NaN0 at low tide. Some of its geological features are natural preservation areas.[1]

The general shape of the Bassin d'Arcachon is that of an equilateral triangle pointing north, the southwest corner of which is open to the sea, between Cap Ferret and the town of Arcachon (more specifically, one of the suburbs of La Teste-de-Buch, Pyla-sur-Mer), through a 3km (02miles) narrow channel (Les Passes). On the north shore is the town of Arès, then Andernos-les-Bains on the northeast. Just south of the entrance is the Dune of Pilat. Nearly in the middle of the bay is a very particular island: L'île aux Oiseaux (Isle of the Birds).[1]

Development

In the past, similar areas became lakes (called in French lacs or étangs) and are nowadays filled with fresh water. On the French Atlantic coast, running north–south between the Gironde estuary to the Adour River mouth, are the Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans, the Lac de Lacanau, the Étang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet, the Étang de Biscarrosse et de Parentis, the Étang d'Aureilhan, the Étang de Léon, the Étang de Soustons, Étang Hardy, Étang Blanc and the Étang de Garros. Arcachon Bay is the last water area that remains open to the ocean.[1]

The Bassin still has a link to the sea perhaps because of the Eyre River that runs from the Landes forest and has its mouth (Delta de l'Eyre) in its southeast corner. Otherwise the Bassin would have become blocked by the sandbanks built up by the tides.[1]

Arcachon Bay fish

The brackish and productive waters of the Bay of Arcachon make them ideal for hosting a wide variety of organisms, including but not limited to those belonging to the families Sparidae, [2] Mugilidae, [3] and Triglidae. [4] This fauna is typical from shallow-temperate waters and generally common along the northeastern and eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea. [5]

Twenty-seven species of fish found in Arcachon bay include: [6]

Within the family Sparidae:[7]

Within the Mugilidae family:[23]

Within the Triglidae family:[30]

Arcachon Bay has been experiencing a decrease in the number of these particular species within the general area of the bay. The decreasing population of these species can be attributed to their low fertility rates and inherent low mortality rates, with humans representing their primary threat as predators. [37]

Additionally, other species within the area include; Phocoenidae [38] (porpoises), Squatina [39] (angel sharks), Bathytoshia [40] (stingrays), and Crassostrea gigas [41] (oysters). Arcachon Bay has been continuously well renowned for its oyster cultivation, fishing, and recreational boating pursuits. Oysters are a key species to the area of Arcachon Bay. Throughout the years Arcachon Bay has been known for its plentiful supply of oysters. Making it a known and common place for oyster farming and fishing. These oysters have been in much demand in the french market as there has been a robust gathering of 7,000 tons within the area as of 2017. However, since 1998 there has been a decline in oyster population due to both human and environmental influences. Much of this can be attributed to pollution. These changes in the natural habitat have led to higher mortality rates, reducing much of the oyster population. An important species contributing not only to diversity but also the progression of human development over the years. [42]

Notes and References

  1. Nicola Williams, Oliver Berry, Stuart Butler, Jean-Bernard Carillet, Kerry Christiani, Gregor Clark, Emilie Filou, Catherine Le Nevez & Daniel Robinson (2015). Lonely Planet France (Travel Guide) Paperback – 13 Mar 2015 by Lonely Planet.
  2. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Sparidae Rafinesque, 1818 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  3. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Mugilidae Jarocki, 1822 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  4. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Triglidae Rafinesque, 1815 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  5. Quéro . Jean-Claude . Orestes . Cendrero . Incidence de la pêche sur la biodiversité ichtyologique marine : le bassin d'Arcachon et le plateau continental Sud Gascogne Société Française d'Ichtyologie - Cybium . Cybium . 1996 . 20 . 4 . 323–356 . 10.26028/cybium/1996-204-001.
  6. Quéro . Jean-Claude . Orestes . Cendrero . Incidence de la pêche sur la biodiversité ichtyologique marine : le bassin d'Arcachon et le plateau continental Sud Gascogne Société Française d'Ichtyologie - Cybium . Cybium . 1996 . 20 . 4 . 323–356 . 10.26028/cybium/1996-204-001.
  7. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Sparidae Rafinesque, 1818 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  8. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  9. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Pagellus bogaraveo (Brünnich, 1768) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  10. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Dentex dentex (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  11. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  12. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  13. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  14. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Diplodus puntazzo (Walbaum, 1792) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  15. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  16. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Lithognathus mormyrus (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  17. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Spondyliosoma cantharus (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  18. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Pagellus acarne (Risso, 1827) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  19. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Pagrus pagrus (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  20. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Diplodus cervinus (Lowe, 1838) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  21. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Diplodus vulgaris (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  22. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Oblada melanura (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org.
  23. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Mugilidae Jarocki, 1822 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  24. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Liza ramada (Risso, 1827) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  25. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Chelon labrosus (Risso, 1827) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  26. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Liza saliens (Risso, 1810) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  27. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Liza aurata (Risso, 1810) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  28. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  29. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Oedalechilus labeo (Cuvier, 1829) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  30. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Triglidae Rafinesque, 1815 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  31. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Aspitrigla cuculus (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org.
  32. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Trigla lucerna Linnaeus, 1758 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org.
  33. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Eutrigla gurnardus (Linnaeus, 1758) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  34. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Trigloporus lastoviza (Bonnaterre, 1788) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org.
  35. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Trigla lyra Linnaeus, 1758 . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org . en.
  36. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Aspitrigla obscura (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) . 2024-04-24 . marinespecies.org.
  37. Quéro . Jean-Claude . Orestes . Cendrero . Incidence de la pêche sur la biodiversité ichtyologique marine : le bassin d'Arcachon et le plateau continental Sud Gascogne Société Française d'Ichtyologie - Cybium . Cybium . 1996 . 20 . 4 . 323–356 . 10.26028/cybium/1996-204-001.
  38. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Phocoenidae . 2024-05-02 . marinespecies.org.
  39. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Squatina Duméril, 1805 . 2024-05-02 . marinespecies.org.
  40. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Bathytoshia Whitley, 1933 . 2024-05-02 . marinespecies.org.
  41. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Crassostrea (Magallana) gigas (Thunberg, 1793) . 2024-05-02 . marinespecies.org . en.
  42. Gamain . Perrine . Cachot . Jérôme . Gonzalez . Patrice . Budzinski . Hélène . Gourves . Pierre-Yves . Morin . Bénédicte . 2017 . Do Temporal and Spatial Parameters or Lifestyle of the Pacific Oyster Crasssostrea gigas Affect Pollutant Bioaccumulation, Offspring Development, and Tolerance to Pollutants? . Frontiers in Marine Science . 4 . 10.3389/fmars.2017.00058 . free . 2296-7745.

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