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The French National Committee for Scientific Diving (CNPS) takes on different tasks including acting as an observatory of occupational scientific diving practices and innovations (Thouzeau et al., 2019). Since 1991 in France, scientific diving has been recognized by law as an occupational sector and is therefore regulated with the aim to reduce the hyperbaric risk. Currently, French scientific diving encompasses many fields such as life sciences and ecology, geosciences, social & cultural sciences including archeology, health & food, engineering sciences, energy... Due to the existence of overseas territories - with France's maritime spaces representing the world's second largest exclusive economic zone - French territories display an extensive variety of submarine habitats. Furthermore, the historical richness of scientific diving in France has led the French scientific diving community to be involved in all oceans worldwide. All subaquatic ecosystems, from the polar regions to the tropical belt, from drowned karsts to freshwater and high altitude lakes, including mesocosms and artificial structures are studied by diving scientists. On top of the traditional diving methods (apnea, open circuit and hookah) scientific diving benefits in recent years from the use of closed-circuit rebreathers but also from combining CCR and saturation methods, which greatly enhanced the study of the mesophotic zones. In light of the diversity of environments, disciplines and scientific issues, scientific divers are continuously innovating to perform outstanding research. This presentation will outline the recent work of the last decade highlighting the importance of scientific diving in science (in France).

The French National Committee for Scientific Diving (CNPS) takes on different tasks including acting as an observatory of occupational scientific diving practices and innovations (Thouzeau et al., 2019). Since 1991 in France, scientific diving has been recognized by law as an occupational sector and is therefore regulated with the aim to reduce the hyperbaric risk. Currently, French scientific diving encompasses many fields such as life sciences and ecology, geosciences, social & cultural sciences including archeology, health & food, engineering sciences, energy... Due to the existence of overseas territories - with France's maritime spaces representing the world's second largest exclusive economic zone - French territories display an extensive variety of submarine habitats. Furthermore, the historical richness of scientific diving in France has led the French scientific diving community to be involved in all oceans worldwide. All subaquatic ecosystems, from the polar regions to the tropical belt, from drowned karsts to freshwater and high altitude lakes, including mesocosms and artificial structures are studied by diving scientists. On top of the traditional diving methods (apnea, open circuit and hookah) scientific diving benefits in recent years from the use of closed-circuit rebreathers but also from combining CCR and saturation methods, which greatly enhanced the study of the mesophotic zones. In light of the diversity of environments, disciplines and scientific issues, scientific divers are continuously innovating to perform outstanding research. This presentation will outline the recent work of the last decade highlighting the importance of scientific diving in science (in France).

Background: The waters surrounding the French Southern Lands are a fishing zone, accessible only by sailing for several days in a region where weather conditions are often difficult. The scientific bases of the region have medical staff whose services can be called upon if seafarers require assessment and rapid medical treatment. We conducted an epidemiological study of the maritime teleconsultations carried out by the French Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service (TMAS), where patients navigating in the Southern Indian Ocean zone were advised to disembark on the medical bases in the French Southern Lands, between 2015 and 2020, to receive medical treatment. Materials and methods: We extracted data from all of the maritime records from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2020 relating to patients who attended a maritime teleconsultation with a French TMAS doctor in the Southern Indian Ocean zone and who had been redirected to the medical bases in the French Southern Lands. Data were collected on the patients’ age, gender, nationality, rank, type of vessel, tele- consultation diagnosis, patient management on board and in the French Southern Lands medical bases, as well as the medical outcome. We carried out a descriptive data analysis. Results: French TMAS doctors managed 11,908 cases including 76 in the Southern Indian Ocean zone (0.6%). Nineteen (25%) patients were redirected to the French Southern Lands over the study period. Eighteen patients were men with an average age of 45 ± 10 years. Eighteen patients were on board a trawler and 11 of them were sailors. Nine patients were treated for a trauma-related condition, 8 for a medical condition and 2 for a surgical disease. Eleven (58%) patients were evacuated to Reunion Island and 8 (42%) patients received medical treatment and were able to re-embark aboard their vessel. Conclusions: Relatively few patients are redirected to the French Southern Lands for medical assistance, but referrals occur on a regular basis. The pr

Background: The waters surrounding the French Southern Lands are a fishing zone, accessible only by sailing for several days in a region where weather conditions are often difficult. The scientific bases of the region have medical staff whose services can be called upon if seafarers require assessment and rapid medical treatment. We conducted an epidemiological study of the maritime teleconsultations carried out by the French Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service (TMAS), where patients navigating in the Southern Indian Ocean zone were advised to disembark on the medical bases in the French Southern Lands, between 2015 and 2020, to receive medical treatment. Materials and methods: We extracted data from all of the maritime records from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2020 relating to patients who attended a maritime teleconsultation with a French TMAS doctor in the Southern Indian Ocean zone and who had been redirected to the medical bases in the French Southern Lands. Data were collected on the patients’ age, gender, nationality, rank, type of vessel, tele- consultation diagnosis, patient management on board and in the French Southern Lands medical bases, as well as the medical outcome. We carried out a descriptive data analysis. Results: French TMAS doctors managed 11,908 cases including 76 in the Southern Indian Ocean zone (0.6%). Nineteen (25%) patients were redirected to the French Southern Lands over the study period. Eighteen patients were men with an average age of 45 ± 10 years. Eighteen patients were on board a trawler and 11 of them were sailors. Nine patients were treated for a trauma-related condition, 8 for a medical condition and 2 for a surgical disease. Eleven (58%) patients were evacuated to Reunion Island and 8 (42%) patients received medical treatment and were able to re-embark aboard their vessel. Conclusions: Relatively few patients are redirected to the French Southern Lands for medical assistance, but referrals occur on a regular basis. The pr