Fabrice Amedeo: looking back on his ongoing commitment to preserving our oceans

Fabrice Amedeo's confinement, a sedentary phase between family life, preparation for the Vendée Globe and new projects

Fabrice Amedeo lived out his confinement in La Trinité-Sur-Mer surrounded by his family.

The navigator has this to say on the subject:

"I experienced the confinement of the Vendée Globe: 103 days in a space of just a few square meters [...]. It's mentally difficult to live in a world that's constantly changing. Humanly and psychologically, it's a real ordeal. "" When you go around the world, if you like solitude and wide open spaces, it can quickly make you associable when you become a landlubber again. It's inevitable. When you come back, you find it harder to go to parties and dinners where 25 people are talking. But time always takes its toll. And in both directions. When you leave Earth, it's not easy right away. You need to find your own rhythm and relearn things. You decelerate.

Fabrice Amedeo's confinement to his home, with his wife and three daughters, has enabled him to recharge his batteries and enjoy some wonderful moments with his family. An opportunity to recharge his batteries before his departure on November 8. Fabrice Amedeo is set to embark on his second Vendée Globe. A marathon of almost 100 days at sea, single-handed, which can feel like a confinement.

"There will be a before and an after", Fabrice Amedeo continues to work in partnership with Onet to curb plastic pollution of our oceans.

The confinement was an opportunity to observe the impact of human activity on the ecosystem. Following this assessment, Fabrice Amedeo is keen to deepen his data collection. This year, the skipper has decided to go one step further by adding a module capable of collecting microplastics in all the world's seas. This ambitious project is being carried out in partnership with IFREMER, the University of Bordeaux, CNRS and IRD.

This box will contain three filters designed to collect microplastics* of various sizes throughout the race. Each day, weather conditions permitting, the sailor will spend around ten minutes changing these filters, which he will have to store on board. A real challenge, but a necessity in his eyes:

" The manipulations involved in measuring microplastics are the most time-consuming and uncomfortable part of the scientific program we've launched, but the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans is so urgent that I didn't hesitate for a second. Even if I have to sacrifice a little performance for the sake of science, it will be time saved for the future.

The new module will be installed on the oceanographic sensor in May. The first tests are scheduled for this summer on the race that is due to replace the Transat New York - Vendée, originally scheduled for June.

* plastic particles smaller than 5 mm.

Fabrice Amedeo interviewed for parliamentary study on plastic pollution

Fabrice Amedeo, the man behind his ambitious oceanographic project for the Vendée Globe, was interviewed on Thursday May 14 by Philippe Bolo, Member of Parliament for Maine-et-Loire, and Angèle Préville, Senator for the Lot, co-rapporteurs of a mission on plastic pollution for the OPECST (Office Parlementaire d'Évaluation des Choix Scientifiques et Technologiques). The aim of the exchange was to hear the skipper Newrest - Art & Fenêtres's account of plastic pollution at sea, and to present the oceanographic sensor installed on board his IMOCA 60′ monohull.

The OPECST, which aims to help parliamentarians and the government understand and make decisions on scientific and technological issues, launched a mission on plastic pollution on September 11. It is looking into the origins of plastic pollution, its different forms, impacts and effects, as well as the technological and scientific solutions for reducing it. Over 278 people - researchers, journalists, institutions, economic players and NGOs - have been interviewed on the subject. Fabrice Amedeo testified alongside Catherine Chabaud, sailor and Member of the European Parliament, on ocean plastic pollution.

We wanted to hear from Fabrice Amedeo because he has the experience of a sailor who can testify on the subject of pollution at sea," explains Philippe Bolo. But also because he's part of the big picture of solutions and knowledge by making his sporting commitment available to science, so that he can go and take samples in areas where no one else goes. "

This audition is a fine recognition of all the work we put into making our navigations useful to science. 

" I'm delighted to see that our oceanographic project, which is expanding this year thanks to the support of my partners Art de Fenêtres, Eléphant Bleu and ONET, and thanks to the scientists who are accompanying us, is arousing such interest," he commented.

Discussions with Philippe Bolo, Member of Parliament, and Angèle Préville, Senator, will continue until this autumn, in order to provide further information, particularly following the Vendée Globe race scheduled for this summer.

" The microplastics that Fabrice will collect at sea will provide an opportunity for research to flourish, telling a story that will help us to better understand plastic pollution. The scientists' initial feedback and conclusions could be incorporated into the report we'll be presenting next autumn, in which we'll be highlighting recommendations to help tackle the issue of plastic pollution," concluded Philippe Bolo.

Read the latest article from Ouest-France, France's leading daily newspaper in terms of circulation: Vendée Globe. Fabrice Amedeo puts racing at the service of science