One Good Thing That Resulted From The Lockdown

In the Mediterranean, as lockdowns occurred and human activity in the seas waned, marine life flourished. We speak to researcher and friend of Blancpain Laurent Ballesta.

- Darren Ho

When Laurent Ballesta first decided to study the French Mediterranean during the lockdown in France last summer, he’d hoped to confirm that marine biodiversity was recovering as human activity subsided. As the beaches emptied out and motorboats stood still, marine life roared back to occupy the coastal waters.

Ballesta, 46, is a marine biologist, pioneer deep diver and explorer whose work has taken him across the world. Born in Montpellier in the south of France, he has spent decades researching marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean while pursuing rare marine species in the world, sponsored by Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment initiative. With Confinement & Biodiversity, the research project he executed with his crew at Andromède Océanologie, he’s released a series of videos explaining their observations. He shares more with A Magazine. (This interview has been lightly edited for length and style.)

You noted that biodiversity in coastal waters increased during the lockdown. Tell us more.