Coral Reef Initiative for the South Pacific (CRISP) is a French inter-ministerial project founded in 2002. Its aims focus on developing a vision for the future for coral reef ecosystems and the communities that depend on them within the French overseas territories and Pacific Island developing countries. Programme coordination is provided by the CRISP Coordination Unit and a programme manager who is supported by scientific counselors. The programme is hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community who is located in Nouméa, New Caledonia. CRISP is under the institutional protection from the Pacific Community and the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme. It is a regional initiative that promotes the protection and sustainable management of the coral reefs of the Pacific island states.

History

During the French-Oceania Summit of 2003, French President Jacques Chirac promoted the idea of bringing together Oceania participants to work towards sustainable development of the Pacific Ocean coral reefs. Its launch was announced in September 2004 during the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) meeting held in Papeete, French Polynesia.[1] At the initial launch, the project was valued at €10 million over the course of three years, involving fifteen Pacific Island countries and three French Pacific Territories,[2] (New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna)[3] envisioned as a "driving belt" between these locales.[1] The programme's implementation was facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).[4] Its establishment also included a political desire for local oversight in the Pacific region.[5][6]

Programmes

Some of CRISP's components include integrated coastal and watershed management, and development of coral ecosystems.[7] The ReefBase Pacific project is a collaborative programme with Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).[6] International Coral Reef Action Network (IRCAN) projects have also been incorporated into CRISP.[8]

An additional component is educational, such as the Workshop on Economic Evaluation of MPAs that was sponsored by CRISP in 2008.[9] In partnership with SPREP, CRISP also supports activities of various societies such as the Aiga Folau o Samoa (Samoa Voyaging Society),[10] which is promoting the spread of regional awareness in protecting the environment.[11] CRISP provides support to organizations in developing case studies, of which Navakavu Locally Managed Marine Area, Viti Levu, Fiji (2009) is one example.[12][13] For the Navakavu Locally Managed Marine Area study, CRISP provided biological monitoring test and comparison, as well as fish larvae research.[7] Pacific COREMO (Coral Reef Monitoring) database training of 2009 through the Institute of Marine Resources at the University of the South Pacific included representatives from CRISP, one of its partner organizations.[14] Supporting Kanak traditions, CRISP's partnership with Conservation International provided recommendations and underwater species guides to the Kanak people.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "Support to the organization of the CRISP Round Table in Suva". French Embassy. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  2. ^ South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (2005). SPREP annual report. The Programme. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Visas for France and the French Pacific Territories". New Zealand Consulate-General Noumea, New Caledonia. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  4. ^ United Nations Environment Programme (June 2007). Unep Annual Report 2006. UNEP/Earthprint. pp. 61–. ISBN 978-92-807-2801-9. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  5. ^ Société des Océanistes; Musée de l'homme (Muséum national d'histoire naturelle) (2007). Journal de la Société des Océanistes (in French). Musée de l'homme. p. 77. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Intern Opportunity - ReefBase Pacific Project Assistant". sprep.org. Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  7. ^ a b O'Garra, Tanya (June 2007). "ESTIMATING THE TOTAL ECONOMIC VALUE (TEV) OF THE NAVAKAVU LMMA (Locally Managed Marine Area) in Vitu Levu island (Fiji)" (PDF). University of the South Pacific; Research Institute for Development. pp. 2, 91. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Coral Reef Initiative for the South Pacific (CRISP)". International Coral Reef Action Network. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  9. ^ "Latest News". Oceania Research & Development Associates. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  10. ^ "Aiga Folau sails across the Pacific". Samoa Observer. April 2010. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  11. ^ Pacific Regional Environment Programme (23 March 2010). "Samoa Voyaging Society to be Environment Ambassadors". Solomon Times Online. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  12. ^ "Navakavu Locally Managed Marine Area" (PDF). International Union for Conservation of Nature. May 2009. p. 2. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  13. ^ Cohen, P.; Valemei, A.D. & H. Govan (2008). Annotated bibliography on socio-economic and ecological impacts of marine protected areas in Pacific island countries. The WorldFish Center. pp. 24–. ISBN 978-983-2346-67-8. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  14. ^ "Pacific COREMO Training of Trainers". University of the South Pacific. 9–11 September 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  15. ^ Barrett, Kate (7 February 2007). "Kanak Traditions Guide Future Conservation". Conservation International. Retrieved 4 June 2011.

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