/ 
Maud Fontenoy
Maud Fontenoy is a French yachtswoman famous for her solo crossings of the Atlantic (2003) and Pacific (2005) oceans by rowing boat. She also completed a single-handed circumnavigation of Antarctica against the current, starting from Reunion Island on October 15, 2006.
Maud Fontenoy is a leading figure in solo sailing, having achieved several firsts for women in this field. She is an ambassador for the French Ministry of Education and Youth, dedicated to ocean and coastal conservation, and President of the Maud Fontenoy Foundation, dedicated to ocean protection and environmental education for younger generations.
In addition to her maritime exploits, Maud Fontenoy is a talented lecturer and author of several books and documentaries on oceans and their conservation.
Several key areas
Raising awareness of the importance of the oceans : Maud Fontenoy points out that the ocean produces over 50% of the oxygen we breathe and absorbs around 25% of the world's CO?, playing a central role in climate regulation.
Biodiversity and threats : the book also highlights the fact that the oceans are home to nearly 80% of the world's biodiversity, but that they are under serious threat: overfishing, plastic pollution, triggering and acidification will threaten half of all marine species by 2100.
Nurturing function : for 800 million people, fish is the main source of protein, but 75% of the world's fish stocks are already overexploited, so food balance, safety and human health depend directly on the health of the seas.
Drawing on numerous examples and innovations, Maud Fontenoy proposes concrete solutions:
- Sustainable resource management
- Creation of protected areas
- Support for pollution control technologies
- Responsible food choices (consumption of seasonal fish, diversification, sustainable fishing labels).
The author adopts an optimistic, rallying tone, highlighting the idea that "everyone can act at their own level" to reverse the trend. She invites us to rethink our relationship with the ocean, through concrete everyday gestures as well as through education and politics.
The book benefits from the reputation and expertise of Maud Fontenoy, who combines personal anecdotes from her crossings and her involvement with associations, making her plea lively and well-documented.
This book is aimed at a wide audience: citizens, teachers, young people and decision-makers keen to understand the deep links between the ocean and life on Earth, and to take action to safeguard this "blue heritage" essential to our future.
The ocean, source of life âeuros Let's protect our nourishing sea
- Release date: May 21, 2025
- Éditions de l'Observatoire
- Number of pages: 283
- ISBN: 979-1032930465
- Public price: 23 euros
