Cultural Traditions & Conservation in New Caledonia's Rich Waters

Thanks, Jennifer. It’s great to be here. We’ve received a lot of really interesting questions, so I’m excited to get going!

In practice, the Kanak have set up multi-use areas within their traditions. Some areas are considered sacred, which is equivalent to our “no-take” zones. Some species are considered “totem” species, for example sharks. These species warrant special respect, and are usually not extracted off the reef. There are some places where we couldn’t even dive. When the Kanak perceive a decreasing trend in marine resources – in anchovies in the rivers, for example – they implement fishing closures on different temporal scales.

In theory, these kind of practices can be applied in many places, but they have to be implemented on a case by case basis and tailored to the customs and traditions of people there and with full and total involvement of all stakeholders.

Just being respectful of people and where they live is the main thing. We can learn a lot from them.

The one big difference between setting up marine versus terrestrial protected areas is this: Practically, we need to think of a terrestrial park as not extractive at all. Usually, no one is going to take anything out of it. Marine protected areas are usually multi-use areas, meaning they are set up to allow for some fishing or other recreational activity that impacts the resource. In terrestrial parks, people usually just come to enjoy them, but don’t take anything away.

Ecologically, in a marine environment you have long distance dispersal, a larger scale of connection among different animals and habitats. Ultimately, you can’t put a fence around it. For example, you can track how many bears are in a given terrestrial park, but you can’t similarly track how many tuna are in a specific marine area because of migration and movement outside of that area. No pun intended, but there’s more fluidity in marine parks.

It’s best if we integrate across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems. Especially in this area of New Caledonia because of the Mount Panié watershed. If you don’t take care of the reefs, they’re going to be smothered by sediments.

World Heritage status helps focus attention on a certain area and why it is important for conservation. The whole process of obtaining this status is an exchange between a network of practitioners, which provides access, technical assistance, and information exchange between other world marine heritage sites and the proposed site.

It also helps facilitate funding, improve management effectiveness, and compile lessons learned.

Excellent question. It’s both. We do scientific research that has a conservation application, but in order for conservation to be successful you have engage with local communities. There’s a social economic component.

For example, when we do a rapid assessment or marine survey, we have pure scientists examining just species composition, and that data can then be used to look at patterns in areas with the highest amount of biodiversity to ensure they’re included in the protected area. So we’re helping to give an idea of what species occur and their relationship with habitats. But we’re also looking at how to improve our conservation practices there.

Local communities are also a key part because of species that may be extracted for sustenance. We find out what the local people’s concerns are, given that they’ve interacted with the environment their whole lives.

We engage local communities in all aspects, and we ensure all the results from our surveys, both scientific data and conservation implications, are communicated back to the community.

New Caledonia is an important nesting area for turtles, especially green turtles. Our partners, including WWF with a New Caledonia government agency, are spearheading efforts to raise awareness of sea turtle conservation and ways to help.

CI’s marine program is working all over the world to conserve the most threatened sea turtle populations in the world.

For more information, go here: http://www.conservation.org/xp/CIWEB/programs/turtleflagship/

Hi, Carlos. Yes, CI does indeed have a marine conservation program that is integrated within the regions where we work. There are numerous programs within this division – including our seascapes program, marine managed area science, and a team dedicated to studying the effects of climate change on our oceans. These programs are all cross-cutting … and growing!

This is relevant for CI because many of the places in which we work are coastal areas, and more importantly, the marine environment covers three-quarters of the planet and is a major provider of ecosystem services for all of us.

Basically, global climate change affects reefs in that the change in the water chemistry makes it hard for corals to calcify and build their skeletons. Also, there’s been an increase in the frequency and intensity of bleaching events; this is when coral loses the algae that live within its tissue. This algae is how the coral survives. It’s a symbiotic relationship.

For the Kanak, corals provide a natural barrier to high wave energy. The Kanak may be at higher risk of storms if the integrity of the coral structure is compromised. Coral also supplies an important habitat for fish, which are a major food source for nearby tribes.

The shark fishery, especially shark finning, is a critical and urgent conservation challenge. My advice would be to address the problem from all angles – who are the consumers, who are the suppliers? How did the practice get started, and what are the origins of the shark fin soup delicacy? Also, how best can we turn the tide and educate consumers about the implications of their seafood choices?

I do have a few ideas on how our RAP data on sharks may help and would be happy to discuss with you further over e-mail.

Yes, ecotourism is possible, but it’s a double-edged sword. It has to be thought out carefully, in terms of the pros and cons – who is it benefiting financially and otherwise, do the local people welcome it, and how will it affect their traditional way of life?

First of all, I love Palau and I congratulate your country and its amazing beauty. The area we studied in New Caledonia is only for personal consumption, not for commercial fishing. There are other regions that are not governed as much by tradition customs, which is one of the challenges for our next RAP. Government-wise, there are regulations on marine extraction in place. Our next RAP will be in an area where the Kanak and people of European descent both interact with their marine environment. Stay tuned.

CI is focusing a great deal on China and its environment, as well as the impact of China’s activities on a global scale. As the country develops and its population increases, there has to be an increase in environmental awareness. In fact, we just reported on China’s opportunity to take a lead in conservation efforts.

You can read the story here: http://www.conservation.org/xp/frontlines/science/01230702.xml.


We'll definitely have more to say about this region throughout the year and in the lead up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing!

No question is stupid! I’m glad you asked this. Corals have been moved to be saved when there’s been increased sedimentation. There are definitely cases in which this has happened. We have to be conscientious though about the transplanting of corals “for habitat restoration” because we are not actually creating more coral in that way, we’re just moving it. In some cases, people will move coral to restore a site or a reef, but is it really restored to its previous condition? Taking coral from one place may actually be robbing one area without guarantees of helping another.

Definitely. In all cases, not just in New Caledonia, you have to involve the local community. It’s their neighborhood. Beyond appraisal, CI wants local communities’ full participation and engagement. We have to integrate social economics with the ecological.

Michelle, whoever you’re fighting, tell them to rent Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth! That will cover all the bases, but then there’s still much more to learn. We are learning more all the time. We can’t equivocally say what will happen to a certain species due to global warming because of compounding factors – including habitat destruction. The threats are multiple and synergistic.

For Puget Sound specifically, there are increases in surface water temperature, including the rivers and streams that feed into the sound. Increased flooding and more rain may result from alterations of river and stream flows. Accelerated rates of sea level rise may also occur and may be compounded by sinking land, according to some studies.

In terms of marine environments, there may be a loss of near-shore habitat, including marsh and wetlands. Salt marshes are particularly at risk because of changes in temperature, water salinity, and soil salinity. These things may also affect the types of plants that can survive in the area.

Good work in joining the fight. We have much more to say about this topic, too, so stay tuned here.

Thanks everyone for your interest, and please stay active in being concerned about our world, in all of its aspects!