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Members of the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium met at the University of Auckland from 8-12 February, 2009 to discuss (i) the results of fieldwork and analysis conducted during 2008 and, (ii) conservation initiatives in the region. As with previous synoptic surveys dating back to the austral winter of 1999, surveys of humpback whales were conducted to collect genetic samples, individual identification photographs and song recordings in the four primary regions: New Caledonia, Tonga (Vava’u), Cook Islands and French Polynesia (Moorea).

The Fiji Islands Marine Eco region which includes our coastal, Inshore and offshore marine environment is rich in marine biodiversity and endemism. A natural and vibrant ecological mosaic, it links coastal forests and mangroves; tidal estuaries, seagrass beds and lagoons; rich coral reefs and barrier islands. Amongst this rich mosaic can be found over a third of the worlds coral species, the 3rd longest barrier reef in the world, and a large number of species of mangroves and tropical sea grass species.

The research agreement signed on 19th December 2005 by the Institute of Research for Development (IRD), the University Paul Sabatier (Toulouse III) and Nantes University, the Pharmacochemical laboratories of Natural Substances and Pharmacophores Redox (UMR 1165) and the Centre of Maritime and Ocean Law (EA 1165, CDMO) led to the international research program “Coral Reef Initiatives for the Pacific” (CRISP).

This document provides practical guidance on developing management plans for Protected Areas (PA). It is generic in nature and so applicable to Pacific Islands and other regions of the world. Chapter 2 below explains the purpose of a management plan, along with other concepts central to planning. Chapter 3 provides a series of essential tasks to complete prior to, or very early in, the process of developing a PA plan. Chapter 4 provides the framework to follow for actually writing the PA plan.

The Mt. Panié RAP survey was led by a partnership between local communities, Province nord (Northern Province), Conservation International (CI) and Dayu Biik, an indigenous conservation non-profit organization. CI and Province nord’s relationships
with research institutes and experts, both in New Caledonia and internationally, brought together the multiple skills needed for
this comprehensive survey.

The independent state of Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of New Guinea, the world’s largest and highest tropical island and one of the last major tropical wilderness areas on earth. Although New Guinea and nearby smaller islands remain substantially covered with tropical forest and are known to have an immensely rich and highly endemic flora and fauna, much of this biota remains undocumented, as evidenced by spectacular discoveries of both plants and animals during Conservation International’s recent RAP biodiversity surveys on the island (e.g. Richards 2007).

Conservation International’s Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) is an innovative biological inventory program designed to use scientific information to catalyze conservation action. RAP methods are designed to rapidly assess the biodiversity of highly diverse areas and to train local scientists in biodiversity survey techniques. Since 1990, RAP’s teams of expert and host-country scientists have conducted 60 terrestrial, freshwater aquatic (AquaRAP), and marine biodiversity surveys and have contributed to building local scientific capacity for scientists in 26 countries.

The Republic of Fiji consists of approximately 300 islands located roughly 3000 km east of Australia in the Pacific Ocean (between 16o and 20oS, 177oW and 175oE). There are four main islands in the Fiji group: Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu. The two largest islands, Viti Levu (10,544 km2) and Vanua Levu (5,535 km2) comprise 88% of the total land area (~18,300 km2). It is estimated that no more than 100 islands are permanently inhabited. Most of the islands are the remnants of once active volcanoes sitting on a piece of the Pacific Plate.

Here we report the findings from the Marine Rapid Assessment Survey of the coral reefs of the northwest lagoon (Yandé to Koumac) of Nouvelle Calédonie. For the executive summary a brief overview on the Marine Rapid Assessment Program and on New Caledonia is presented first including general information on the inscription of the tropical lagoons and coral reefs of New Caledonia as a World Heritage Site. Further background information is presented for the two communes of Poum and Koumac that lie adjacent to the reef sites surveyed.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is an independent state occupying the eastern half of New Guinea, the world’s largest and highest tropical island. In recognition of its extensive remaining forest cover, spectacular biological diversity and low human population density, New Guinea has been recognised as one of the world’s five High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas (Mittermeier et al. 2003). In addition to extensive low- and mid-elevation tropical forests, New Guinea has extensive high-montane environments, particularly along the central mountainous spine of the island.