A maritime prefect (

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

: ''Préfet maritime'') is a servant of the

French State Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...

who exercises authority over the sea in a particular region under French jurisdiction, known as a maritime arrondissement (''Arrondissement maritime''). His administration is known as a maritime prefecture (''Préfecture maritime''). As of , there are three maritime prefects in metropolitan France, based in

Cherbourg-en-Cotentin Cherbourg-en-Cotentin () is a city in the department of Manche, Normandy, northwestern France, established on 1 January 2016.

(

Channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), in physical geography, a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Austral ...

and North Sea), Brest ( Atlantic Ocean) and Toulon ( Mediterranean Sea). Two additional maritime prefects were based in

Rochefort Rochefort () may refer to: Places France * Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime department ** Arsenal de Rochefort, a former naval base and dockyard * Rochefort, Savoie in the Savoie department * Rochefort-du-Gard, in the Ga ...

until 1927 and Lorient until 1941. As a senior

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...

, the officeholder is appointed by and reports to the Prime Minister. The maritime prefect, who is simultaneously charged of military operations, therefore also reports to the Chief of the Defence Staff (''Chef d'état-major des armées'').

History

The dignity was created on 27 April 1800 under the French Consulate to unify the command of harbours (civil administrator) and the command of the Navy (admiral). Maritime prefectures exist in each of the five overseas departments of France, but are administered by the departments' respective prefects:

Cayenne Cayenne (; ; gcr, Kayenn) is the capital city of French Guiana, an overseas region and Overseas department, department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic Oc ...

for French Guiana, Basse-Terre for

Guadeloupe Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...

Fort-de-France Fort-de-France (, , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Fodfwans) is a Communes of France, commune and the capital city of Martinique, an overseas department and region of France located in the Caribbean. It is also one of the major cities in the ...

for Martinique, Saint-Denis for

Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...

and Mamoudzou for Mayotte.

Duties and responsibilities

The maritime prefect is in charge of the French sovereignty at sea, which includes defending rights guaranteed under French law and national interests within territorial waters and exclusive economic zones, as well as monitoring operations, fighting illegal activities, police and rescue operations, environment protection and users safety. The officeholder coordinates all armed vessels within the jurisdiction.

List of maritime prefects

As of 2019, the three maritime prefects in metropolitan France are: *

and North Sea (

Cherbourg-en-Cotentin Cherbourg-en-Cotentin () is a city in the department of Manche, Normandy, northwestern France, established on 1 January 2016.

): ''Vice-amiral'' Philippe Dutrieux, following the 1924 unification of the commanding position at

Dunkirk Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.Atlantic Ocean ( Château de Brest, Brest): ''Vice-amiral d'escadre'' Olivier Lebas, ''ex-officio'' holds the title of Commander for the Atlantic (''Commandant en chef pour l'Atlantique'', CECLANT) * Mediterranean Sea ( Toulon): ''Vice-amiral d'escadre'' Gilles Boidevezi, ''ex-officio'' holds the title of Commander for the Mediterranean (''Commandant en chef pour la Méditerranée'', CECMED) Image:Dumontet-Guillaud-Magne.jpg, From left to right: ''Capitaine de Vaisseau''

Xavier Magne Amiral Xavier Magne is a French Navy officer, commander of European Maritime Force between 2011 and 2013. Biography Magne made a career aboard the ''Charles De Gaulle''. On the 5 August 2005, he was promoting from second officer to captain of ...

(captain of the ''

Charles De Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

''), ''

vice-amiral d'escadre Squadron vice-admiral (french: Vice-amiral d'escadre) is a naval rank found in navies of the world which follow the French tradition of naval ranks. The squadron vice-admiral leads a squadron and is typically senior to a vice-admiral and junior ...

'' Alain Dumontet, commander of the

Force d'Action Navale The ''Force d'action navale'' (FAN, Naval Action Force) is the 9,600-man and about 100-ship force of surface warships of the French Navy. As of 2018, it is commanded by Vice-Amiral d’Escadre Jean-Philippe Rolland. The ships are divided into se ...

, and ''contre-amiral''

Édouard Guillaud Amiral Édouard Guillaud (born 10 July 1953)

Préfet maritime A maritime prefect ( French: ''Préfet maritime'') is a servant of the French State who exercises authority over the sea in a particular region under French jurisdiction, known as a maritime arrondissement (''Arrondissement maritime''). His admini ...

of the English Channel and North Sea (former captain of the ''Charles De Gaulle'' 1999–2001). File:Benoit Chomel de Jarnieu-IMG 9259b.jpg, Admiral

Yann Tainguy Yann Tainguy (born 24 August 1955) is a French admiral, commanding officer for the Mediterranean maritime defence zone and Maritime Prefect A maritime prefect ( French: ''Préfet maritime'') is a servant of the French State who exercises author ...

, Maritime prefect for the Mediterranean

References

{{Reflist French civil servants French Navy Admirals of France

History

Duties and responsibilities

List of maritime prefects

See also

References