4. Regulatory aspects: legal framework for monitoring dredging and dumping operations

The legal framework for dredging and dumping operations is expressed through international conventions, European Community regulations and national texts that govern the conduct of these practices in France. It is essentially at this third level that the notion of monitoring is expressed by the regulations. Two types of monitoring are more or less directly associated with dredging and dumping:

• monitoring the impact of dredging and/or dumping operations;

• monitoring port areas and the quality of sedimentary materials.

A methodological guide produced by the GEODE (Groupe d'études et d'observations sur les dragages et l'environnement) focuses on the first type of monitoring, although the regulatory bases for monitoring port areas are outlined below.

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