The Préfet Maritime is a servant of the French State who exercises authority over the sea in one particular region (a Préfecture maritime). As a civil servant, he reports to the Prime Minister. But the Maritime Prefect is simultaneously charged of military operations, and for this reason also reports to the chief of the general staff (CEMA, or Chef d'état-major des armées).
The dignity was created in 1800 to unify the command of harbours (civil administrator) and the command of the Navy (Admiral).
The préfet maritime is in charge of the French sovereignty at sea, monitoring operation, safety of the users, police and rescue operations, etc. He also commands all armed vessel linked to his place.
The present Préfectures maritimes are:
- Mediterranean Sea (Toulon): Admiral Yann Tainguy
- English Channel and North Sea (Cherbourg)
- Atlantic (Château de Brest, Brest)
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From left to right: Capitaine de Vaisseau Xavier Magne (captain of the Charles De Gaulle), vice-amiral d'escadre Alain Dumontet, commander of the Force d'Action Navale, and contre-amiral Édouard Guillaud, Préfet maritime of the English Channel and North Sea (former captain of the Charles De Gaulle 1999-2001).
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Admiral Yann Tainguy, Maritime prefect for the Mediterranean
Famous quotes containing the word prefect:
“The State has but one face for me: that of the police. To my eyes, all of the State’s ministries have this single face, and I cannot imagine the ministry of culture other than as the police of culture, with its prefect and commissioners.”
—Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985)