The loi littoral (Coastal Law) was passed in 1985 to regulate real estate speculation on France's coasts and coastal paths. In 1986, one of its first decrees concerned the conservation of Madine Lake and its biodiversity. The area was also classified as a National Reserve for Hunting and Wild Fauna in 1998 and has been under the protection of Natura 2000 since 2003. It monitors its territory to preserve its unique fauna and flora.